The Lion And The Crow
by Piper Squeaks
Summary: When the Normandy escaped the Collector Ship, Shepard never dreamed he'd stumble upon the find of a century. He never imagined he'd discover a creature unlike any other. He never knew the greatest weapon against the Reapers would be a Crow Feather. This ME/Sekirei crossover will feature Karasuba prominently. Chapter 7 is up!
1. A Crow Awakens

The Lion and the Crow

Chapter 1

"Joker get us the hell out of here!" Alex Shepard shouted as he sprinted from the CIC to the bridge.

"Aye-aye Commander!" Joker worked the _Normandy's_ flight controls furiously. "Let's get this baby in FTL now, EDI!"

"What is our heading, Mr. Moreau?"

"Anywhere but here!"

"Very well. Entering FTL now." EDI activated the drive core and the _Normandy_ leapt forward into the unknown. After several minutes of FTL travel. Joker felt more at ease and began working the interface at a steadier pace. He watched his haptic display as light days of distance ticked off at a rapid pace.

"OK, EDI throttle us down. Let's see if we lost 'em." As the _Normandy_ slipped out of FTL, Joker activated the extreme long range sensors and began a sweep of the space around the ship. "It looks like we slipped the noose… again... wait. EDI, do you see that blip at bearing 345 by 352. What the hell? Did they do an end run around us."

"No, Mr. Moreau, the object ahead of us is not the Collector ship. The EM profile does not match. It does appear to be a ship of some kind, but we are too far away for a more definitive answer." EDI silently continued to catalog the incoming data from the long range sensors.

"Joker, what the hell's going on? Are we or are we not out of the fire yet?" Alex asked as his crossed his gauntleted arms across his chest and stared at the crippled pilot.

"Shepard, I have no idea what's going on, but we did get away from the Collector's ship if that's what you're asking. We ARE still on a suicide mission though, so yeah the 'fire's'" Joker uses air quotes around the word, fire. "still toasting our collective asses quite nicely."

"Shepard, after some additional scanning, the ship ahead of us appears to be in a dormant state. It is holding its current position and its thermal signature is only one hundred Kelvin above the interstellar baseline. If we launch a sensor probe I can gather more in-depth data including visuals." EDI replied as she readied a probe for launch.

"Do it EDI. I'll be in the CIC. And Joker that was some quick maneuvering even for you. You might actually get that medal you wanted." Shepard turned around and strode out of the bridge.

"Yeah, yeah. Promises, promises." Jeff waved Shepard away distractedly. He continued assisting EDI with identifying the unknown spacecraft.

"Probe away, Shepard. Logging you out." EDI calmly waited for the probe to reach its long-range scanning distance. The probe's transit time lasted over an hour before any detailed data began filtering back to EDI and the _Normandy_. "Shepard, the preliminary data from the probe indicates that the ship is indeed in a dormant state. However, the EM and gravimetric signatures do not match any known ship designs. This ship cannot be from any of the Council or Terminus races in origin. The gravimetric readings are especially interesting as it is indicative of a ship that does not have an element-zero drive core. I will continue scanning and the probe will be within visual range in approximately five more minutes."

"Thanks, EDI. Miranda, you and Tali meet me in the CIC. I think we've stumbled across a mystery you two MIGHT wanna see." Shepard logged the _Normandy's_ current position into the ship's logs. A ship of an unknown, possibly alien, origin. It could either be a godsend for the fight against the Collectors, and by extension the Reapers, or another galactic catastrophe just waiting to happen.

A few minutes later the elevator opened and the two requested females stepped out. Each looked distinctly uncomfortable with the other's presence. "We're here Shepard. You said we stumbled onto a mystery. What did you mean by that?" Tali asked somewhat impatiently. She stood very close to Shepard, something that did not go unnoticed by the _Normandy's_ XO.

Shepard gestured over to his private terminal. "EDI bring up all of the scans you've gathered from the probe so far."

"Affirmative, Shepard. Here is what we know about the ship thus far." Shepard's terminal displayed a variety of numeric and waveform data.

"But that can't be right. This readings indicate this ship has no drive core. What kind of ship doesn't have a drive core? Especially this far into interstellar space?" Tali sounded concerned and more than a little apprehensive.

"The ship also appears to have no active mass effect fields."

"EDI, do we have any visuals on the ship yet?" Shepard asked as he watched the reactions of the two female crewmembers.

"Yes, Shepard. Long range visuals are coming in as we speak." EDI routed the visuals of the unidentified vessel to his terminal, and a three dimensional holo of the ship's exterior on the galaxy map interface. "According to my calculations the ship is approximately twice as large as a standard Alliance cruiser. There does seem to be evidence of a spinal cannon but it does not fit with any known mass accelerator designs. And other than the main gun, I only detect defensive weapons similar to the GARDIANs that are equipped on the _Normandy_, but that is only an assumption based on the visual scans."

"EDI, speculate for a moment. Can you guess as to the age of this vessel? Could it be prothean?" Shepard was looking at the dark structure. The lines of the ship seemed to flow around the structure, giving it a streamlined, organic feel.

"I am not given to speculation, but if I were, I would say that the design of the ship bears no similarities to any of the prothean design philosophies apparent in the ruins that have been uncovered thus far. Perhaps Dr. T'Soni could be more helpful in answering that last question."

"Liara's too busy with her hunt for the shadow broker for me to bother her with this right now." He felt more than a hint of jealousy at that fact.

"We are now receiving more detailed visuals. The ship is definitely alien in origin. The physical profile does not fit any known designs. The emitted EM radiation is definitely indicative of a non-element-zero powered ship." EDI confirmed her earlier deduction.

"EDI, is the ship showing any power readings at all?" Miranda asked a furtive look on her face. She contemplated the implications for the future. The possibility of non-eezo powered FTL travel would be just what Humanity (Cerberus) needed to have an edge on the Reapers and the other races.

"Operative Lawson, the ship is showing minimal power output of any kind. Now that I have access to more extensive scans of the structure, the EM readings are fairly uniform throughout the exterior of the ship. This would indicate that almost all power consumption is located at the center of the vessel."

"Joker take us in closer. Let me know when the ship is less than a hundred kilometers away. I also want firing and escape solutions plotted and ready to go in case this thing wakes up angry."

"Aye-aye, Commander." Joker began calculating the necessary firing angles for maximum damage.

"You three," Shepard said, as he pointed to Tali, Miranda and Kelly Chambers. "With me. EDI let the rest of the ground team know that I want a briefing in the comm. room ASAP. And make sure they have all of the information we have so far."

"Understood, Shepard. Logging you out."

Five minutes later Shepherd Miranda, Kelly and Tali entered the _Normandy's_ briefing room. They found Jacob, Mordin, and Garrus were already there waiting for them. After a few more minutes Jack, Grunt, Kasumi, Zaeed, Samara, and Thane arrived. Shepard moved to his customary location at the head of the table, and began the meeting. "Ladies and gentlemen, we have a true mystery on our hands. Roughly two hours ago, during our escape from the Collectors, we stumbled upon a dormant ship of alien origin. The ship is not from ANY known spacefaring race. And it does not appear to be Prothean either. EDI bring up the scans from the probe."

"Understood Commander." EDI displayed a hologram of the ship and the EM and gravimetric wave-forms on the table's center holo display.

"As you may be able to tell from its visual profile, the ship does not match any designs from any of the known races." Shepard gestured to the 3-D hologram. "The ship appears to be approximately twice the size of an Alliance cruiser. We are currently en route, and should be within visual range of the ship in the next hour. Do any of you have any questions?"

Garrus spoke up first, "So let's see if I can sum up. While escaping the Collectors after that fiasco of a recon mission, Joker manages to FTL us right next to a ship no one has ever seen before, and now you're thinking about boarding it... Did I miss anything?

"Shit, Shepard you have either the most ridiculously good or ridiculously bad luck I've ever seen. I wanna to be on the team that goes into that fucker." Jack exclaimed as she gazed at the hologram of the alien ship.

"Shepard, this could be a first contact situation. We need people who are well versed in first contact protocols, not some hothead that will just warp everything in sight." Miranda said as she raised a brow at Jack.

"Shut the fuck up, cheerleader. You just wanna go in there and steal whatever you can get your claws on."

"Agree with Miranda, regarding possibility of first-contact. If ship remains dormant entry could be problematic. Believe team should be comprised of technical experts and combat specialists perhaps a single biotic in case of unpleasant surprises."

"I concur, Mordin, so I'm breaking us up into 2 teams. The first team will consist of myself, Tali, Kasumi, Garrus, Jack, and Grunt. Miranda you're leading team two, and you'll have Mordin, Samara, Zaeed, Thane, and Jacob. Now, I want your team ready to lend support in case this thing goes pear-shaped. Kelly, I want you in the CIC monitoring the com traffic ready to give whatever advice you feel we might need. If we do find life on this ship I'll handle all first contact communication."

"Aye-aye, commander," Kelly responded with a wink and a smile.

"OK, people let's start getting prepped. We'll be in range before we know it." Shepard sighed quietly as he watched Jack silently taunting Miranda with her expression. He still had his armor and weapons from the mission on the Collector ship, so he headed back to the CIC and waited for the rest of the team to assemble at the airlock behind the bridge. He watched as they returned from gathering their gear in ones and pairs. Once the two teams had been fully assembled, he turned to Joker. "Joker, ETA."

"We'll be in docking range in about five minutes." Joker began decelerating to bring the ship to whatever airlock the ship might have. "Holy crap! That thing just lit up like a Christmas tree! I don't think it's dormant any more! EDI any changes in the weapons systems that we should be aware of."

"Negative Mr. Moreau. The defensive weapons still appear to be offline. I am however picking up a significant increase in internal EM radiation. The ship's internal temperature appears to have increased to a more habitable 302 Kelvin. The gravimetric readings have also increased. That suggests the ship may have some form of artificial gravity. It appears the ship may be readying itself to be boarded. Mr. Moreau do you see the lighting appear on the starboard side of the ship."

"Yeah, it looks like a ring of lights surrounding a circular section of the hull. That must be the ship's airlock. Commander, I believe we just found a way in. In case you're still thinking of boarding this thing."

"Thanks, Joker. Okay teams you know you're jobs. We go in hot, but no one shoots or touches anything until I give the word. If this a first-contact, I wanna look like peace-keepers not pirates, understood. He received a chorus of 'aye-ayes,' and a 'sure thing, Shep' from Kasumi.

"OK, Joker let's do this."

"Aye-aye Commander." Joker maneuvered the ship to line up exactly with the ring of lights, and, using the attitude thrusters, slid the _Normandy_ right against the alien ship's airlock. The _Normandy's_ airlock opened and the away team, with Shepard in the front stepped up to the other ship's outer door. Shepard reached out to touch the surface of the ship. As his fingers brushed the surface, the ring of lights changed from a harsh red to a more sedate blue, and the circular section ringed by the blue lights seemed to melt open. The darkness of the interior was partially cast aside by the lighting from the _Normandy's_ exterior lights. Shepard and company could see a small white room with another airlock at the opposite end.

"OK, Miranda once my team has breached the interior airlock, I want you and your team to position themselves in the room here and wait for my orders. Joker keep the engine revving, just in case."

"Aye-aye, Commander" and "Aye-aye, Shepard." Came from both Joker and Miranda simultaneously.

"OK, people, let's do this by the numbers. I'm not losing anybody to a derelict spacecraft." Another chorus of affirmatives wafted over the comms and the team moved into the alien ship. Shepard reached the interior airlock and began scrutinizing it for obvious signs of how to open it.

As soon as he touched the interior wall the exterior airlock closed and the space was suddenly lit from the inside. What appeared to be a decontamination scan began at the front of the room and quickly swept toward the rear. Once the scan was completed, a disembodied voice spoke.

THREE OF YOUR ARE HUMAN. I DO NOT RECOGNIZE THE GENUS OF YOUR COMPANIONS. PLEASE IDENTIFY.

"Uh, Shep. That voice… that voice was speaking Japanese."

"What do you mean. I heard Alliance common."

"That's because of our universal translator. But what I heard with my very own ears was definitely Japanese. Tokyo dialect, to be specific." Kasumi stopped to ponder the possible implications.

"Wait, so you're telling me that the who or whatever was just speaking, was speaking in Japanese?" Shepard couldn't quite wrap his head around an alien ship that spoke any human language much less Japanese. "So if that's the case…"

I REPEAT. THREE OF YOU I DO NOT RECOGNIZE. PLEASE IDENTIFY.

"Hey, Shepard, whoever or whatever that voice is, it sounds like it's getting real pissed that we haven't answered it yet." Jack said as she continued to look around the room they were in.

"Well, talk to it Kasumi. I don't speak japanese." Shepard motioned for the thief to continue.

"Right… OK, uh, whatever you are. The other three people in our little field trip, are a Turian…" Kasumi pointed to Garrus.

TURIAN. SCANNING. The scan began again except it focused only on Garrus. The scan lasted longer than the first, and it began to worry the Turian sniper that the ship wouldn't like what it found. After several moments the scan stopped. TURIAN ANALYSED. DEXTRO AMINO ACID BASED LIFE-FORM. SCAN COMPLETE.

"Next we have a Krogan…" Kasumi pointed to Grunt.

KROGAN. SCANNING. The process repeated itself with Grunt. KROGAN ANALYSED. LEVO AMINO ACID BASED LIFE FORM. SCAN COMPLETE.

"And last but most certainly not least we have a Quarian" Kasumi pointed to Tali.

QUARIAN. SCANNING. The process repeated itself a third time. QUARIAN ANALYSED. DEXTRO AMINO ACID BASED LIFE FORM. PHYSIOLOGY DIFFERENT FROM TURIAN. SCAN COMPLETE. YOU MAY NOW ENTER.

The interior airlock opened and a lighted path was present on the floor. "Well it appears that the ship wants us to go somewhere." Shepard remarked as he looked at the floor, before following the path. "Tali, are you recording all of this?"

"Absolutely, Shepard. Though it appears the ship may be a human design after all."

"If it was built on Earth I've never heard of it. But I think we have to consider that a possibility given the situation." Shepard and the crew continued following the lighted path as it wound through the corridors.

Tali spoke up again. "Shepard, from my preliminary scans, it appears we are headed to the center of the ship."

"Ha, ha I can't wait to meet this japese talking pyjack and see if he would like to get know me a little better. Up close and personal-like." Grunt slams his fists together eager for a little action.

"Are you sure it was wise bringing the walking dispose-all to a possible first-contact situation. I mean he's definitely our guy if we want someone to eat our new alien friends, but not if we want them to greet our new alien friends." Garrus had finally spoken after having been uncharacteristically quiet throughout the mission thus far.

"It's fine Garrus. Tali, can you tell how much further we have to go before we reach our destination?" Shepard continued leading the team down the lighted corridors.

"I believe that we should be approaching the central chamber in a…" Tali cut off the rest of her sentence as they stepped through another circular opening into a large spheroidal chamber that was large enough to house the _Normandy_ comfortably.

"OK, now THAT fits the definition of alien." Garrus spoke up once more as the ground team eyed the large number of empty glass chambers on the outer wall of the room. Tali's quick count came up with over 100 empty chambers big enough to hold something the size of a baby. The 108th chamber at the very center of the room was large enough to hold a full grown adult. The fact that the chamber was not empty was not lost on Shepard and the rest of the team.

Held motionless in the glass egg, was definitely a woman. A tall slender woman. A tall, slender, naked woman at that. Long hair, the color of ashes, was pulled into a very long pony-tail. The woman seemed to be suspended in a clear fluid and was just floating inside the crystal egg as if immune to the effects of the ship's artificial gravity. Her arms were wrapped around her legs in a semblance of the fetal position.

Tali started to head directly for the central egg, but a hand on her shoulder stopped her. "Let's see if we can find a control panel or something before we start messing with dead or sleeping people in glass eggs, shall we.

"Right. Of course, Shepard." Tali began scanning the room for possible com terminals or ship controls.

"Shepard, maybe I should try talking to it. To the ship I mean." Kasumi eyed her commander inquisitively.

"At this point, anything would be an improvement. Start by asking where it came from."

Kasumi nodded, "Umm… ship, where do you come from?"

The ship responded by displaying a large holo of the galaxy, then zooming into the ship's current location, but the difference was that in the holo there was a small solar system with four planets orbiting a small yellow star. The second planet looked suspiciously similar to Earth. Tali began to type furiously on her omni-tool. "Shepard, by my calculations we should be right in the vicinity of that second planet right now."

"But this area of space is between clusters. There are no systems for dozens of light years in any direction."

"I agree. But there's something I don't quite… Kasumi, tell the ship to zoom out to the galaxy map again."

Kasumi repeated the request. The entire galaxy is once again on display. "Look Shepard, the galaxy is entirely at the wrong angle. The Sol system is now close to the top of the galactic rotation. That means…" She went back to her omni-tool.

"What does it mean, Tali?" Garrus trying to understand what exactly was going on.

"It means that the image of the galaxy depicted in the hologram is one from over 30,000 years ago. If I'm understanding this right, this ship left its home-world a very long time ago. A time when the system still existed. It doesn't exist any longer."

"But that doesn't explain how it knows japanese, Tali. Or who or what is in that big glass…" Shepard turned to see why Kasumi trailed off, when he realized they were now looking at a large, empty egg.


	2. A Crow Awakens Pt 2

The Lion and the Crow

Chapter 2

Shepard began visually scanning the room quickly trying to assess where the nude female alien might be hiding. He assumed that since he and his team weren't being attacked, that who or whatever had awoken was more frightened than upset. "Kasumi, let's assume for a minute that the alien woman also knows Japanese. Can you call out to her; make her understand that we don't mean her any harm. Tell her we just want to talk."

"Aye-aye, Shep. Uh, hello. Lady with the long hair, if you can hear me, we mean you no harm… AH!"

Shepard turned around at Kasumi's exclamation to see the nude woman from the glass egg was holding a VERY long sword to Kasumi's neck. "Whoa, hold on there, we don't mean any harm. Just let my friend go and we can talk this out peacefully.

"Shit, Shepard that bitch has a sword. Where the hell did she get a fucking sword?" Jack was at a loss for anything else to say.

The woman looked at Alex through lidded eyes, a vulpine grin on her face. "Hmm, perhaps I mean a great deal of harm. Are you the leader of this bunch, human? Are you the strongest?" She kicked Kasumi away from her, dragging the blade of her sword across the thief's throat at the same time. Kasumi clutched at the wound as blood poured from a severed artery "Come on, fight me! I just slit your pretty girlfriend's carotid. What are you going to do about it?"

Shepard ran to where Kasumi was kneeling. Jack, Tali, and Grunt immediately took up positions around the two as he administered medi-gel to the sword cut, quickly sealing the damaged artery and closing the cut. "Kasumi stay down and let the medi-gel do its job." Kasumi could only nod as she held her hands protectively over her neck.

Shepard stood up, pulled his assault rifle off his back and looked to Jack. "Subdue her, please." The alien's smile got wider at his words.

"It would be my great fucking pleasure." Jack's biotic corona flared as she launched a warp at the ashen haired alien. The woman only raised her sword and with a single sweeping motion cut the warp field in half. The warp field dissipated harmlessly as the alien moved toward the group once more. "OK, how the fuck did she do that?!"

"I got this Shepard!" Grunt hunched forward and with a howl of anger rushed the nude woman planning to knock her on her ass. Pulling her sword into a ready position, the nude female waited for the large reptile to get within reach. At the last moment she cartwheeled over and landed behind the Krogan charger. She reversed her grip on the two meter long blade and plunged it through Grunt's armor clad chest just as he turned around to grab at her.

Garrus, having seen enough, yelled out "Concussive rounds!" He fired his assault rifle at the female hoping the rounds would knock her unconscious. He did not, however, anticipate her cutting the bullets out of mid-air. "Holy crap, Shepard. I've never seen anyone move that fast! She's a spirts-damned demon! Switching to full-auto." Garrus began peppering the area around her with MA rounds as she ducked and dodged around the bullets. He continued to back up and fire as the woman moved inexorably closer. Once final stride brought her within range, and she smoothly cut the Avenger in Garrus's hands in two. The bottom half of the now useless rifle sparked and sputtered in his hands. He dropped the destroyed gun and reached for his shotgun. If the crazy alien bitch wanted to get up close and personal than so could he.

The nude woman tried cutting Garrus's weapon again, but he hit the flat of her blade knocking it aside. With her sword now out of position, she lashed out with her foot kicking the taller alien male away from her as though he weighed nothing. Tali watched her friend slide across the floor, and brought her omni-tool to bear trying desperately to do something keep this homicidal alien from killing her friends. Chatika fared no better than anything else in their arsenal.

The alien paused her assault on Shepard's team long enough to give them time to regroup. Using that time, she explained the origin of her sword. "My sword is known by many names but its most famous is 10,000 Cold Nights. Its maker was Sengo Muramasa, and it will cut anything placed before it." Her smile widened even further, now more of a rictus than a grin.

"That's… *cough* that's not possible." Kasumi now finally able to use her voice spoke again. "That… that sword is only a myth." She coughed again and glared at the nude killer.

"Oh, is that so," the woman glanced at the blade in her hands as if seeing it for the first time. "Then I suppose this is the most tangible a myth I've ever seen." She dashed forward, her pause now at an end, and brought the blade across in a horizontal cut looking to separate Alex's head from his shoulders. He ducked at the last moment moving almost as quickly as she. "Yes! Show me your power! Show me that humanity is no longer the weak, pathetic species that I remember it to be. Show me that you can stop me from killing your friends."

Garrus moved to a safe distance and began scoping the insane woman; waiting for a moment when she dropped her guard, only then would she be vulnerable. Grunt, still healing from the impalement he received few minutes before, moved to bring the ashen blonde woman within his sights once more. Shepard now locked together with the wild woman was having a hell of a time just staying on his feet. Her upper body strength completely at odds with her slender form. He had his hands locked with hers fighting for control of the demon blade. She dropped one hand from the hilt and struck him hard across the face, immediately blackening his left eye. He blinked the pain away but was able to pull the sword from her remaining hand. He slung the blade away and was kicked in the gut for his effort. He slid backwards several meters, his chest aching from the hit. He was positive the kick broke a few ribs.

"That's it! Show me more!" She leapt over a shockwave from Jack, and dodged another concussive round from Garrus. She was now sporting a very bloodthirsty grin on her face. She struck out with a bare foot, kicking Jack in the side of her head. She followed it almost immediately with a sledgehammer fist across the female biotic's jaw, knocking her out. She dashed forward to grab her sword once more when a shot from Garrus's sniper rifle sent it sliding out of reach.

Tali activated Chatika once more, hoping to catch madwoman off guard and paralyze her long enough to subdue her. The psychotic alien watched with fascination as the drone flew toward her, only to dodge at the last moment as the large sphere let loose an electric bolt. She jumped back toward Shepard putting him in between her and the combat drone.

SHEPARD, THIS IS MIRANDA. I'M HEADED YOUR WAY.

SHEPARD, THIS IS KELLY. YOU CAN'T KEEP FIGHTING HER LIKE THIS. YOU'RE PLAYING RIGHT INTO HER HANDS.

COMMANDER, MORDIN HERE. IS KASUMI STABLE?

"Negative, Miranda. I can handle this! You and your team stay put. Yes, Mordin I've closed the wound with medi-gel and she appears to be cognizant, but she has lost a lot of blood. I'm gonna need you ready to take her and Jack to the med-bay, once I've subdued this insane bitch!" Shepard stood and grabbed the woman as she charged back toward him. For a moment the two grappled and neither could get an upper hand. Shepard now completely inured to the idea he might hurt this alien female called on all the strength he could muster in his large frame. He grabbed her hands and the two continued to battle for dominance.

She felt him begin to take her seriously and she smiled. She could feel his alien ancestry in his skin. His genetic history was calling to her. The foul player, the bear, HER blood flowed through his veins. Her ditzy, scatter-brained friend from a lifetime ago was here with her again in this human male. She felt the anger, the power flowing through their physical connection. He wasn't a weak pathetic human. He was born of Sekirei. He was a child of Yume; though Musubi had been the one to give his ancestors life. She twisted her body suddenly and flipped him over her shoulder. He landed hard on his back, and his breath was violently expelled from his lungs as she landed on top of him. The woman now with her eyes wide open, her red eyes staring at his, spoke excitedly. "You're her! You're my yu-chan! She sent you to me!"

Shepard, now thoroughly confused, blinked owlishly. The only thing his mind could muster was, "What?"

"You're mine now… Shepard. You're mine!" She pulled his head toward hers and her arms encircled his neck supporting his upper body. She claimed his lips with her own, her tongue latching onto his and wrapping around it. She kissed him passionately for a long minute before black-light burst from a point between her shoulder blades. A moment later the light coalesced into a pair of large black raven's wings. The wings swept forward and wrapped around the pair, before dissipating into motes of light. "Now and forever, you're mine!" She did not wait for an answer when she stole another searing kiss. This one lasted much longer than the first. The woman savored his taste, his texture. She imagined that Yume might have tasted the same if she had kissed her this way. The kiss continued until Shepard, finally able to gather his wits, forcefully pushed the crazy woman off of him.

Shepard stood up. and pulled her up onto her feet in front of him. He grabbed her by the shoulders. "Who the hell are you? And what the hell; were those wings?" She just shrugged and looked away.

"I'm number zero four, Karasuba, I'm a Sekirei, and now you're my ashikabi." Shrugging off his hands, she stepped away from him and moved to a bare spot on a far wall. She placed her hand on the wall, and an opening appeared. Inside the wall he saw a large bundle of fabrics, possibly her clothes, and a very long sword scabbard. She removed all of the items from the wall and it closed behind her.

Shepard watched her every move. She turned toward him making sure he saw every movement of her body, as she slipped her miniskirt over her rear, and her tight wrap over her head. She buckled her belts and slipped the scabbard into one of them. She pulled on her stockings and boots. The final piece of the ensemble was an over-sized red robe that she wore over her shoulders like a cape. She waltzed back to the group who had all been staring at her audacity. She stopped momentarily, hooked a foot under the hilt of her sword, and, with a movement borne of years of practice, deftly kicked it straight up in the air. The sword flipped, blade now pointed down, and slid home in the scabbard that she held in her outstretched hand.

Shaking unsavory thoughts from his head, Alex turned to the entrance to the central chamber in time to see Miranda and company enter. "Shepard, is everyone alright?" Miranda called out. The rest of her team filtered in behind her.

"Yeah, for the most part. Kasumi got the worst of it. As you can see, I patched it with a few doses of medi-gel but she's gonna need Dr. Chakwas take a look at it. Jack's out cold, she'll probably have a shiner when she wakes up. Once everything has calmed down, we'll need to find out from Karasuba how this ship works, as well as how she got this far out into interstellar space."

Karasuba looked between the two commanders and pondered for a moment, "This ship works because I command it. And I got this far into interstellar space by folding here." Both Miranda and Alex turned to Karasuba to listen to what she had to say. "I wanted to know once and for all if our home-world, the Sekirei home-world still existed or not. Miya told me before I left earth that it was gone, but I didn't care. I just needed to be away from everything, away from everyone. So I was given the ship and allowed to leave. Once I found that Miya was indeed correct, I put myself into the glass cage and went to sleep. Now tell me, what year it is."

"It's 2185. How long ago was it that you left earth?" Miranda replied cutting Shepard off before he had a chance to speak.

Karasuba eyed the woman for a moment then answered, "I believe it was the year 2021 that I left earth. I arrived here roughly one year later. I've been asleep ever since."

"Wait you were on earth during the twenty-first century. Miranda, check the records for any ships that match this one leaving earth during that time." Shepard looked at Kasumi for a moment when another realization hit him. "You were in Japan when you were on earth weren't you."

She just cocked an eyebrow at him then nodded. "Can we leave this boring ship, now. I'm anxious to see what else has changed in this galaxy. We were unaware of any other alien races when we found earth. I see at least four new ones I haven't had the pleasure of fighting yet."

"Karasuba, when did your race find earth? How long have you known about us?" Miranda continued her questioning.

"I personally never cared to know. That wasn't part of my job description, but Miya believes that we left our planet about 30,000 years ago, your time. Now if you don't mind I'm leaving." She walked by the other members of both teams each of them just staring at her as she passed.

"Shepard, what about the ship? We can't just leave it here!" Miranda said as she watched him help Kasumi up from the floor.

"You're right we can't." He turned to his chief engineer. "Tali how soon can a representative from the migrant fleet be here?"

"I can have someone here in one full ship's cycle." Tali watched her commander intently. Was he thinking of giving the ship to her people.

"Make sure they bring a salvage team. I have a feeling our new guest isn't going to care much what happens to this ship." He watched Karasuba's rear as she stepped out of the central chamber.

"Will do, Shepard." She turned and began connecting and authenticating into the Migrant Fleet's secure comms channels. She then sent an encrypted message to her father briefly explaining the ship they found. She received a prompt reply, he would be there personally to see this new discovery.

"OK, I think we've done enough for today. Let's head back to the ship. Someone wake Jack up." Jack, still out cold, was picked up and carried back to the exit by Grunt who followed the rest out of the main chamber.

"Took you long enough." Karasuba watched the rest of the Normandy away team filter into the airlock. They stood amazed as they could now see the exterior of the Normandy as if the ship's hull was made of glass.

"Kara. You're gonna need to wait until we can get you an EVA suit in order to cross over to the _Normandy_." Shepard placed a hand on Karasuba's shoulder only to feel a jolt pass through it from her body. She looked up at him with an unreadable expression before shaking his hand away.

"No, I won't." She placed her hand on the hull and they all watched as the hull of the ship reached out toward the Normandy and created a seal around her external door. A moment later the outer airlock opened and a walkway between the two ships formed.

NORMANDY TO SHORE PARTY? WHAT THE HELL JUST ATTACHED TO THE OUTSIDE OF THE SHIP?

"It's OK Joker, It's just us. We're heading back now. Go ahead open the outer door."

AYE-AYE COMMANDER. OPENING OUTER DOOR NOW.

The outer door slid out of the way and Karasuba stepped into the Normandy decon area like she owned the place. Once both of the ground teams were in the airlock, Shepard hit the button to close the outer door and decontamination procedures began. Once it was completed, the internal airlock opened and Karasuba was the first to step through, she looked first to her right toward the CIC and then to her left, where she saw Joker staring at her, for once absolutely speechless. She smirked at him, then swung her sword out behind her as she turned and walked down the hallway. The crew stared after the new guest, and her sword. The rest of the team started moving around her to get back to work.

"Shepard, did you just add ANOTHER psycho to the team. Wasn't Jack enough crazy for this mission. I mean she's carrying a sword, and huge one at that. The damn things looks taller than me."

"You are correct, Mr. Moreau. According to my calculations. If you were to stand next to it the top of your head would not reach the sword's hilt."

"Thanks, EDI. I really needed to know that."

"Are you done now Joker. I've got some wounded to take care of. Dr. Chakwas!" Shepard tore his eyes away from tracking Karasuba, and found the good doctor standing in the hallway.

"Kelly told me I would be needed as soon as you got back on board. Kasumi come with me. I'm gonna want to scan that… person as well. I need to assess any possible health risks to the crew. And what has happened to your scars?" Dr. Chakwas turned and led Kasumi away from the rest of the group.

"What do ya mean, Doc?"

"Your facial scars are gone. They've completely disappeared." Shepard reached up with his hand to touch the left side of his face. He couldn't feel the raised scar tissue at all. His cheek felt completely smooth.

"You're right. How the hell?"

"I don't know, but I'm afraid you're going to be sitting right next to Kasumi, Jack and that…"

"Her name's Karasuba."

"Yes, right next to Karasuba in the medical bay in a hour. Do I make myself clear?" Dr. Chakwas turned to leave without even waiting for an answer.

Shepard watched as Karasuba stood in front of the galaxy map and activated the holo display. He watched as she flipped through the star charts, stopping occasionally on different systems and then moving on to the next cluster. She stopped at the local cluster, and zoomed in on earth. He stepped up behind her, she didn't seem to care about their closeness.

"Ach-umm." Kelly Chambers cleared her throat noisily as she watched the two act rather inappropriately. "Are you gonna introduce me, Shepard?"

"Oh, sorry. Kelly Chambers this is Karasuba. Kara this Kelly. She's the ship's yeoman and part-time therapist."

"Nice to meet ya, Kara." Kelly extended a hand in friendship.

Karasuba stared at the hand for a moment then turned back to the galaxy map. Shepard shrugged at Kelly. Kelly waved it off and continued. "Well, if you ever need anyone to talk to just let me know." Kelly turned back to her station and then looked back at Shepard. "You have new messages at your private terminal."

"Thanks, Kelly." He stepped over to his terminal and found two new extranet messages. The first from the Illusive Man, and the second from Admiral Rael'Zorah. He opened the first, and discovered that the Illusive Man was not happy about him giving the alien ship to the Quarians. He gave Shepard some intel to pass onto Liara, regarding the Shadow Broker. He also wanted a QEC debrief as soon as possible. The second message was a confirmation that a salvage team, with Rael leading, was headed to his location and their ETA was approximately 18 hours.

He looked over and found Karasuba was reading the message beside him. Her lidded smile once again firmly in place. "The ship won't work for anyone but me. Well, me and Miya, but she's obviously not here now, is she?"

"That's the fourth or fifth time you mentioned Miya. Who is she? Is she your leader or something?"

"Not anymore, but she was the leader of the ship that crash-landed on earth. She's probably still there, sitting in her dead husband's shrine constantly dwelling on the past."

"Wait, you're saying a Sekirei is living on earth right now. But how is that possible? She would have to be almost two hundred years old."

"Oh, she's much older than that. But as a full Sekirei, she'll live ten, a hundred times that long. I should live that long as well now that my DNA has been fully restored." Karasuba stepped off the platform and eyed the elevator. "Where are the showers on this ship. I haven't bathed in literally two hundred years." She looked up at him, her creepy grin ever present.

Shepard thought for a moment. He really didn't want her roaming the ship unsupervised, but if a shower is all she wanted then he could accommodate her and keep her supervised at the same time. "I have a personal shower that you can use. Follow me." Karasuba only nodded and the two entered the elevator bound for the loft. "In here." Shepard led his Sekirei into the Captain's quarters and she looked around at the furnishings and decorations. She took special note of the aquarium and the model ships mounted over his desk.

"Where is this shower you promised?" Shepard pointed to the small lavatory next to his office area. She nodded and began undressing, not caring one bit that she was giving him an eyeful of her slender perfectly proportioned body. Once she was fully unclothed, she stepped into the lavatory and paused for a moment as if waiting for something. "You want to join me? I can always use an extra pair of hands to wash my back."

Shepard seriously thought about it. As much of a bad idea as that was, he had to admit he was sorely tempted. "No, too many things could happen in there. You have shown yourself to be extremely strong, and agile. I would be placing myself in a indefensible position."

"I can't hurt you. Well, I can hurt you, but I can't kill you."

"What do you mean you can't kill me. You were trying bloody hard to kill me an hour ago."

"That was before I made you my Ashikabi."

"That's the second time you called me that. What's an Ashi-ka-bi?

"Ashikabi." Karasuba regarded him for a moment, "Yume would say you're my destined one. But more simply, you're my mate. The one most genetically compatible with me."

"Wait, you mean mate in the sexual sense, don't you." Shepard didn't know how to handle the idea that he just mated himself with this alien female. She ignored him and continued into the shower. "Coming or not. I want my shower."

"Not." She closed the door and a moment later he heard water running. "EDI, until I say otherwise the door to my cabin stays locked. No one but me in or out."

"Affirmative, Shepard. Logging you out."

He grabbed her sword and pulled the blade from the scabbard. He admired the finish. The artistry that went into the forging of this sword was awe-inspiring, but there was something not right about it. A tingling in the back of his mind that told him that this weapon enjoyed its job a little too much. He tried to slide the blade back in the scabbard but it wouldn't budge. He pushed harder on the hilt, but it only seemed to increase its resistance.

"It needs blood." Karasuba walked into the living area, a towel wrapped around her torso.

"What do you mean, it needs blood?"

"Once the blade has been pulled from the scabbard, it must taste blood before it will allow itself to be sheathed." Taking her thumb and pressing it against the razor sharp edge, Karasuba allowed a thin trickle of blood to seep over the blade. Once it had taken enough of the red liquid, the blade slipped into scabbard as if it had just been oiled. "Now, since this is our cabin, I'm going to bed. You can of course join me, but that is up to you." She pulled on the tucked in corner of her towel and it fell away to reveal the beautiful body barely hidden within. With a smirk on her face, she slipped under the blanket and rolled to her side watching him intently.

Alex ran a hand over his face in exasperation. "I don't have time for games, Kara. There are things going on in the galaxy that you can't imagine. I'm in the middle of a war, possibly an un-winnable one, and you wanna play house."

"Suit yourself." Karasuba rolled to the other side and closed her eyes. Shepard watched her for a few more minutes, when he heard very light snoring. She really fell asleep. He shook his head, and then left his quarters for the crew deck. Whether she was sleeping or not he still had some work to do.


	3. A Crow Joins the Crew

Shepard walked into the med-bay and found Dr. Chakwas tending to Kasumi's neck injury. Jack was still unconscious, and Grunt was waiting his turn to have Dr. Chakwas verify he was fit for duty. He also saw Garrus was waiting outside the med-bay watching the doctor tend to her patients. "So, where's the sword wielding psycho now. Out the airlock, I hope."

"She's in my quarters, asleep. I'm going to bring her down here when she wakes up. In the meantime, I have to check in with the doc and then have another uplifting conversation with TIM."

"Do you actually think it's wise to leave her unsupervised in your quarters? I mean, you have fish. She might get hungry." Alex raised an eyebrow at the Turian sniper's remark about his fish. "I'm just saying. I mean we don't even what she eats. Also one minor question, what the hell happened there at the end of the fight? And why did wings sprout from her back when she kissed you?

"I have no idea, but I think we'll find out soon enough. speaking of the fight, you doing OK? It looked like she kicked you pretty hard.

"Oh, I've been kicked harder than that, granted the kicker was a 400 pound Krogan, but I've survived worse. How's the eye feeling?"

"I've also had worse, but she does hit like a ton of bricks." Alex put a hand to his still swollen eye testing its tenderness. "She's gonna be staying for the foreseeable future."

"Yeah, I figured as much. I don't think Kasumi's gonna like it though."

"No, probably not, but Kara informed me that we're now mated. I'm not sure if I believe her, but I until I figure things out she stays on the ship. She's too much of a risk to let roam free, or be put under 'the protection' of Cerberus."

Garrus saw a sight he felt a desperate need to retreat from, "Roger that, Shepard. I'm gonna head back to the forward battery. Tell Dr. Chakwas I feel great," He patted his chest and winced. "and will be back later if she still needs me to get a checkup." As Garrus turned and headed quickly in the direction of the thanix cannons. Tali, having stepped out of the elevator, and Miranda, having emerged from her office, both now stood directly in front of Shepard. Alex winced, at the double-team nag he knew he was about to receive.

"Shepard, I received word from my father, the salvage team will be here in approximately 18 hours. What did you do with…"

"Karasuba is in my quarters, asleep. I also received a notice to the same effect earlier."

"Why is she in your quarters?!" The question pounded his eardrums in stereo as both females did not appear to condone his nonchalant attitude regarding the new female "guest."

"Calm down the both of you, EDI is monitoring her as we speak. EDI, what is Karasuba doing at this moment?"

"Karasuba is currently asleep in your bed."

"What?!" _Wow, the girls were in rare form._ They looked at each other silently determining who would berate him first for his thoughtless actions. Tali looked down momentarily, she was apparently the loser in that unspoken exchange.

"Shepard, why do you not have that alien in some kind of quarantine? She could be a danger to the entire crew. You, even more so, if you're allowing her to sleep in your bed." Miranda demanded. Not at all worried about who may or may not be sleeping next to Alex at night. Not at all!

"Karasuba informed Shepard that she and he were now mated, and that while she CAN hurt him, she could never kill him. She also informed him that she now saw the commander's quarters as her cabin."

"Thank you, EDI. I really needed them to know that right at this point in the conversation."

"Shepard! She's just trying to trick you. No one can be mated by just kissing them… Can they?" Tali seemed appalled at the idea that the strange alien woman was now Shepard's girlfriend.

"Shepard, you need to have the doctor perform her tests. If everything she says is true, then she represents a space-faring race that's ten times older than the Asari. And she mentioned her ship being able to fold space. If they had discovered extra-dimensional travel, that could represent a break from the mass relays and Reaper tech we need to actually win this war."

"I understand all of that, thank you. Now if you two will excuse me, Dr. Chakwas should be waiting for me." He looked over to see the good doctor examining Grunt's chest.

"She's still working on Grunt. You have time to answer my questions, Shepard." Miranda, now with her arms crossed over her chest, peered at him daring him to try geting away again.

"Fine. What is it you want to know?"

"She mentioned the name of another Sekirei, one Miya. Did she tell you any more about her?"

"Only that she believes this Miya is still alive, and living somewhere on earth, apparently in her dead husband's shrine." Upon hearing the word shrine, Kasumi appeared behind them.

"Did you say 'dead husband's shrine'?"

"Yeah, I did. Why? Is that important?"

"Well, it's a common practice in Asia to have shrines to dead family members, especially spouses. But I never saw that done anywhere else. If Miya is still alive, she may very well still be in Japan…" Kasumi continued in a softer tone of voice, "To think there could be another one like her in this galaxy." She rubbed her neck sub-consciously.

"I looked for anything regarding the ship and found nothing. If it landed and left, no one left any record of it." Miranda appeared agitated at her lack of progress regarding the unknown ship's history.

"Well, that ship is huge. It would have taken a lot of influence to cover up an event like a ship of that size leaving earth. The only people with that kind of clout would be governments and large corporations. What corporations were in power at that time?"

Miranda thought for a moment, "Now that you mention it. There was a corporation that was very prominent during the first quarter of the twenty-first century. A company called Mid Bio Informatics, or MBI as it was called in all of the historical records. It was an extremely powerful company, and at one point owned almost all of Shin-Tokyo at that time."

"I've never heard of it. Is it still around?" Alex asked as he pondered the ramifications of a company that might have known about alien life over a hundred years before the discovery of the Prothean Archives on Mars.

"It, as far as I can tell, was dissolved as there's no mention of the company after 2025. But at its height it was deeply invested in medicine, computing technology and, especially, genetic engineering,and gene therapy. The corporation developed a lot of bleeding edge technology that was used through most of the century."

"I have a bad feeling that whatever was going on when Karasuba left earth, MBI was probably right in the middle of it. Kasumi, do you know anything about this MBI?"

"Actually, Shep, one of my ancestors was said to have been a bigwig in a very large Japanese company, though it never really made much difference to me. I can ask some of my old asian contacts, see if I can find out anything about it. I'll also check my family's historical records. I'm sure I'll find out a lot more than what's available to the public." With a nod, Kasumi re-cloaked and left.

"Shepard! Where is your charge?" Dr. Chakwas stepped out of the med-bay and waited for him to enter.

"Oh, I didn't even see Grunt leave." Alex stepped into the med-bay and looked around.

"Then I would suggest you continue to hone your situational awareness skills, Commander. Now where is Karasuba?"

"I left her in my quarters asleep. And before you tell me that she's a danger to me and the entire crew, I know that already. EDI, what is Kara doing at this moment?"

"Shepard, Karasuba is still lying on your bed. Though the rapid hand movements under the blanket suggests that she is…"

"OK, EDI, you don't have to finish that sentence."

"Well, it would seem our new guest also has a healthy sexual appetite to match her appetite for violence." Karin noted as she jotted notes on her datapad. "Alright head over to the scanning table. We first need to know how your scars healed so suddenly. I'll start with some simple physiologic and histologic scans."

"Shepard, Dr. Chakwas, I want to know if either of you find any irregularities, regarding the Commander's cybernetics. I'll be in my office if you need to discuss anything you may discover." Miranda stepped away from the group and headed back to the XO's quarters.

"Me too Alex, I want to know whatever you find." Alex raised an eyebrow at Tali's use of his first name. She really was worried about him. He watched the Quarian engineer leave and shook his head.

Alex walked by Jack's bed and immediately saw the large ugly bruise that covered almost the entire left side of the unstable biotic's face. "Dr. Chakwas have you had a chance to look at Jack, yet? That bruise looks awful."

"I have, Shepard. The bruise is due primarily to blunt force trauma to the side of her head. The force of the blow crushed her cheekbone and dislocated her jaw. She will in all likelihood be eating through a straw for the next few days." The two continued past the unconscious Jack and Shepard sat down on the scanning machine's bed.

"Jack's not gonna be too happy about that. I'm gonna have to keep a close eye on her and Kara, because I have a feeling when she wakes up, Jack's gonna want a little payback." Alex sighed heavily. "OK, doc I'm all yours now."

Dr. Chakwas began running the tests one at a time with varying degrees of expectation displayed on her face. Her facial expressions coupled with several 'now that's interesting' or 'definitely wasn't expecting those results,' and even a perplexed 'hmmm'. After an hour of scans and blood samples,

Dr. Chakwas walked back to where her guinea pig was still lying and said, "Well, Shepard, you were always something of a unique specimen. Now you're even more so. But first, let's start with the scans. The physio. scan did not turn up anything out of the ordinary, except for a few heightened hormone levels, nothing serious, but they do suggest a state of sexual arousal. Your heart, lungs, kidneys, liver, pancreas, they all seem to be working at optimum efficiency. The toxicology screen did not return any sign of foreign chemicals in your system.

"I get it. I'm as healthy as a racehorse."

"I'm not quite finished yet. Your scarring is indeed gone. All of it, even the internal scar tissue that was surrounding your cybernetics. All of it has been replaced with healthy functioning tissue. Which brings me to your genetic screens. I'm gonna lay this out as simply as I can. Your genome is not entirely human. Don't get me wrong. It very much looks human. Human enough to fool most doctors, geneticists even. But I analyzed your DNA with EDI's assistance and it shows similar tell-tale signs of genetic rewrite like that of the Collectors. Not exactly the same but similar. Though the artistry that went into your DNA is a magnitude greater than even what the Reapers did to the Protheans. However that is only half the story.

"Well, give me all the bad news at once doc. You know I despise surprises."

"The other half of your DNA, including your Y chromosome, is definitely human. If I were to hazard a guess, your maternal ancestors may have been alien, or were created in a lab with infinitely more resources than what we have here on the Normandy. But your father's side of the family was definitely human."

"So you're telling me that my mom's an alien. I'm not quite sure I believe that. After all, you know my mom. You served with her during the Reclamation of Shanxi. Did she ever strike you as being an alien. I mean she could be a hard ass sometimes, but I'm pretty sure my memories are still reliable. And I don't remember seeing horns or an extra set of eyes or anything.

"As I said, one of your maternal ancestors, I did not specifically mention Captain Hannah Shepard's name, now did I? Your maternal genes have been carried down from descendant to descendant for generations."

"So, what my grandma? Great-grandma?"

"Possibly, or even further back then that."

"I see. It's good to know that I'm half-alien. Explains more than you might think, doc."

"Now, I need to see our newest recruit. Can you get Kara, as you've apparently nicknamed her, down here without her killing or maiming any of the crew?"

"Yeah, not a problem. EDI, is Karasuba still… erm… enjoying her freedom?"

"No, Shepard. She achieved orgasm several minutes ago. She is now sitting on your sofa, in the nude; watching your fish."

"Like I said, healthy sexual appetite." The good doctor was inwardly enjoying his embarrassment.

"Please direct her to the med-bay, and make sure she is dressed before she leaves my quarters." Turning to Dr. Chakwas. "She's entirely too accustomed to being naked."

Affirmative, Shepard. Logging you out.

Several minutes later, Karasuba walked into the med-bay wearing the top half of one of Alex's Cerberus uniforms. The shirt protected her modesty, but only barely, and she carried her extremely long sword in her hand. "Why, are you wearing one of my shirts?"

"It was clean, and it was easier to put on than my old Disciplinary Squad uniform. The pants were too baggy so I left them."

"Disciplinary Squad uniform. Who exactly did you work for?"

"I worked for the same people that Miya, and the rest of the first born Sekirei worked for, MBI."

"Wait, you're saying that MBI knew who you were. Did your ship land in Tokyo or something?"

"Of course they knew who we were. They were the ones that woke us up when our ship was discovered. Your ancestor was one of my sisters, Musubi. I knew when our bodies connected that you were born of Sekirei."

"As interesting as this conversation is turning out to be. We need to get these scans completed as soon as possible. Karasuba, over here."

Dr. Chakwas directed a bored looking Karasuba to the scanning table. She laid down on the table, her make-shift skirt riding up enough for Alex to notice that she still had no underwear on. He quickly pulled the shirt tails back over her rear and resolved himself to have Kelly assist her with the acquisition of decent attire. Once she was lying still, Dr. Chakwas began the scans.

While the scans were performed, Shepard continued to grill the "Black Sekirei" for information. "So, MBI discovered your ship. Was all of those little glass eggs occupied when you landed? How did they discover it?"

"The ship crashed into the Pacific early in your species history, and after an earthquake hit Japan in 2019, the seabed below our ship was pushed to the surface. Two students found the ship and claimed it and all of its occupants as their property. There were 108 of us in total. Miya was the only adult. There were nine fetuses, and the rest were embryos. She was awoken first, and with her assistance the first four of us were awoken and minimally adjusted to preserve our power. We became the first disciplinary squad. We were tasked with protecting our siblings who still slept in the ship." She paused for a moment. "We were very good at our job."

"Who were you protecting them from?"

"Anyone who would threaten the ship, or try to steal us for their own experimentation. Namely other companies, world governments, everyone who wasn't MBI."

"Wait, Karasuba, are you saying that the world knew about you and your ship?" Dr. Chakwas, now thoroughly intrigued by the story, spoke up.

Karasuba looked at the doctor and smirked. "Not us. At least not at first. Some knew about the ship, but we left no survivors to speak of what was else inhabited that island. Miya, the strongest of us, saw to that personally."

After a moment of contemplation, Shepard continued, "You introduced yourself as number zero-four. Assuming Miya is zero-one, who were the other Sekirei that made up the Disciplinary Squad?"

"There was Miya, number zero-one. Matsu, number zero-two. Kazehana, number zero-three, Me, number zero-four, and Mutsu, number zero-five. Only Mutsu was male."

"Karasuba," Dr. Chakwas spoke up once more, "is most of your race, female?" Karasuba turned to her and nodded.

"The ratio is approximately 95% female. I heard Dr. Sahashi speculate that since we appeared to be in a colonization vehicle that the ratio was probably not indicative of reality, but that with overwhelming numbers of females, it assured our genome would continue to thrive in a new environment."

"Dr. Sahashi?"

"She was the chief geneticist in charge of our genetic adjustments, and the mother of the Sekirei Plan's winner. His name was Minato Sahashi," she turned back to Alex, "He's your great-great-great-great-grandfather. He was Musubi and Yume's ashikabi. Their destined one."

Wow, Shep, you're Japanese too. I had no idea. We could be related." Kasumi appeared at the entrance to the med-bay and stepped into the room. "Hey did you show Dr. Chakwas her wings yet. I mean she does call herself a wagtail and she did have those large black wings on the ship."

"The scans are completed, I just need a blood sample." Dr. Chakwas, extracted the sample with little fuss from her subject. "Thank you Kara. If what she says is accurate then her DNA should be very similar to yours, Commander." She walked over to her gene sequencer and input the sample. "Kasumi, please explain what you mean. What wings?"

"Kasumi, what did you call her?" Shepard asked as waited for the results of the blood tests.

"I didn't call her anything. It's what she calls herself. Sekirei is the japanese word for a species of bird called wagtails. MBI must have named her species when they found the group of them in the ship." Kasumi turned back to Dr. Chakwas, "and she has wings doc, wings of light. If Shepard kisses her again, you should be able to see them... probably."

"Well, Shepard, go on. I want to see what it is that Kasumi is talking about."

"Kara, is not a sideshow… Uphm." Karasuba grabbed the back of Shepard's head and pulled him into another searing kiss. Just like the first time, large black wings of light that resembled those of a raven appeared from the spot on her back just above and between her shoulder blades. The wings curled around the duo, but this time they lasted a few moments longer than before.

"That's interesting. I have to say that is something you don't normally see, even on aliens." Dr. Chakwas took a moment to get an energy reading. "As I expected, the wings are made of EM radiation. I'm not sure how but whatever is going on," She paused as she watched the wings dissipate into nothingness. "It seems that her body can manipulate light in ways that I have never seen before. Very interesting.

"Well my work is done. See you later, Shep." She frowned at Karasuba, who only smirked in return, and left the med-bay.

Within the following hour, the machine spit out its results. "It appears that Karasuba is telling you the truth. The DNA is a very close match, Shepard, and her genome has the same signs of genetic manipulation on her chromosomes. She's definitely a relative, probably a sibling of the ancestor that contributed your maternal chromosomes."

Only you, Commander! Only you could literally fly to the ass end of the galaxy, and find one of your long lost relatives, who just so happens to be a genetically engineered alien killing machine. That does explain a lot.

"Very funny, Joker. If you're done, doc, I still have a lot of work to do, as well as a long distance phone call to make. Karasuba stay here with the doctor."

Karasuba smiled and shook her head, her eyes once more hidden behind slitted eyelids. "Don't think so." She grabbed her sword and walked out of the med-bay. "I'm interested in this long distance phone call you're making."

"I really need you to follow orders, Kara."

"I was never really one for following orders." Karasuba followed Shepard to the QEC comm. and watched as the hologram image of the Illusive Man appeared in front of them. She made sure she didn't step in the lighted circle and watched the interaction between the commander and whoever it was he was calling.

"Illusive Man. The first thing I have to say is that Collector ship was a trap and you knew it. So, the next time you feel like sending me into a deathtrap I'd appreciate a heads up."

"Yes, it was a trap. And yes, I felt the information we found was worth the risk. What I want to discuss is the ridiculous notion that you are giving one of the greatest finds since the Prothean archives on Mars, to the Quarians. With that ship, we could design ships and weapons that are no longer bound by the technology of the Reapers.

Karasuba stepped into the circle at the mention of the Reapers. "What are Reapers?"

"Shepard, is that the alien that was found in the alien ship?"

"Yes, she is." Alex turned to Karasuba. "Right, it looks like we have some information you don't know about. I'll fill you in later." He turned back to the Illusive Man, "I'm giving the ship to the Quarians because their ship engineers are second to none. I'm told that the ship will only work for Karasuba, and I'm inclined to believe her. Once the Quarians get here, I am going to make sure that any technology we might be able to reverse engineer is distributed among the Council races fairly. Now I still have a ship to search and a mission to complete. Have a great day." He turned and walked out of the circle, motioning for Karasuba to do the same.

She followed him to the CIC and stood behind him as he explained to Kelly Karasuba's need for undergarments. The chipper shrink, eyed the ashen haired killer's body and smiled. "She looks about my size. She can borrow some of mine until we get back to civilization."

"That will not be necessary." Karasuba spoke up once she realized what Alex had planned.

"Kara, you need some shorts at least. I can't have you traipsing around my ship wearing a shirt and nothing else."

"I will NOT wear someone else's clothes. I would rather walk around this ship naked then wear clothes that have touched someone else's body. And THAT is final." The crew began paying a lot more attention to their conversation once Karasuba mentioned walking around naked.

"You're wearing mine." Shepard noted as he eyed the snooping busybodies, and they quickly returned to their duty stations.

"You are my Ashikabi. We are mated, and therefore what is yours is also mine. This is all I'll say in the matter. I would like to eat. I saw a bald man serving food in the open area beside the medical wing. I can go myself if you're not hungry." She turned and began walking to the elevator.

Alex grabbed one of her arms to stop her, and in the blink of an eye found himself on the ground with her standing over him. "I would suggest that you take care how you handle me. I told you that I CAN hurt you, and when I feel threatened I act instinctively. It's only because you're my Ashikabi that I didn't strike out with my sword instead." She looked down at him, then realized that Kelly was standing next to them with a horrified look on her face. She smirked at the red-headed yeoman.

"I was going to say, since you had questions, we could just have food brought up to us while we talk." He couldn't help but look up her shirt. The flush spread from his cheeks to his neck.

"Fine. But make it quick, I'm feeling famished."

* * *

><p>Jack awoke with a snarl and sat straight up from the bed. She immediately recognized the confines of the <em>Normandy's<em> medical bay. _Damn, that bitch has helluva right hook!_ She quickly realized that she was not alone. Dr. Chakwas was seated at her desk and from the responses she was giving she was in a conversation with the ship's resident mad scientist, Mordin.

"Yes, doctor I'm fully aware of the implications of this find... No, I don't think Shepard is willing to have her vivisected. He seems quite charmed by... THAT is a question I suggest you not bring up in the next team meeting... We'll have to continue this conversation at a later time. it seems my last patient has deigned to bless me with her consciousness. Yes, a working supper sounds acceptable. Chakwas, out." Karin turned to Jack and nodded for her to come over to the desk and sit.

"So lay it out for me, doc. How long have I been asleep?"

"Believe it or not you've been asleep for almost 6 months. The fight with both the Collectors and the Reapers have both been won handily. As it so happened, we had no need of your services, whatsoever." Karin watched her patient's reaction to the "surprising news" with an upturned eyebrow, but no other expression on her face.

"Damn, that totally sucks... Aw, shit that hurt!" Jack rubbed her jaw as pain from the recent dislocation flared up making speech unbearable. She massaged away enough of the pain to continue with her previous thought. "I was really hoping to squash a few more bugs... Wait a minute. That was all bullshit, wasn't it?"

"What gave it away?" Chakwas asked as she scanned the psychotic biotic's blackened cheek, and administered a local anesthetic.

"'Cause you NEVER give me any fuckin' good news. That's what."

"I beg to differ. In fact, I have some good news for you right now... Your cheekbone is healing much faster than my initial prognosis, and your jaw is obviously functional enough for you to use it albeit painfully."

"Yeah, I've always been a fast... Wait a minute. What the hell's wrong with my cheekbone?"

"Yes, well, your cheek and jaw received a great deal of blunt force trauma in the fight. The blow crushed the bone. The resulting sub-dermal hemorrhaging is the reason for the..." Karin hesitated for a moment.

"The reason for what, doc? Why do I get the feeling there's something real fuckin' important you're not telling me?"

"Perhaps you should take a moment before I go any further into your diagnosis."

"I want to know... what the fuck happened to my cheekbone, and I want to know right now!"

"Very well." Dr. Chakwas used her OT's camera app to display the left side of Jack's face on the nearest monitor. The ugly misshapen blotch of purple and black covered the majority of the left side of her face from just under her forehead down to her chin and over to her left ear.

"I'M GONNA KILL THAT BITCH!"

* * *

><p>"Rupert bring up two of whatever you've got on the stove. And please bring a pair of chopsticks as well as the regular utensils" Alex cut the connection and gestured over to the sofa in order to convince the ashen haired Sekirei to sit down. She walked over to the leather couch with a predator's grace and sat down. "The mess sergeant's cooking isn't the best, but it's usually edible... usually."<p>

"It's been about two hundred years since my last meal, so I have a feeling anything except poison and feces will be acceptable. Now begin by telling me, who are these Reapers you spoke of with the holographic human?"

"That question doesn't have a real simple answer." He stroked his chin and said more to himself than Karasuba, "Where do I begin?"

"How about the beginning. I find that is often an excellent starting point." Karasuba smiled her eye crinkling smile and waited for him to begin.

Alex began his explanation of the reapers with the hunt for Saren and the Geth. He was stopped often by his audience to answer questions that ranged from what the Citadel is to who the council and terminus races were, and the most important in Kara's mind who was in charge. During the course of the conversation, dinner was brought up and Alex watched with some fascination as Karasuba ate the lasagna with meatballs using only the pair of chopsticks she had requested.

He continued the story with the death of Saren, and the subsequent destruction of Sovereign. The description of the lone reaper caused nothing more than a widening of Karasuba's eyes as she listened to the cost that lone victory had exacted on the Council forces. One ship destroying so many lives. Inwardly Karasuba cared little for the losses. In her mind such was the consequence of being weak. Memories of her past life in the Disciplinary Squad came unbidden into the forefront of her thoughts, and she felt an overwhelming need to relay some of those memories to her new Ashikabi.

"I have seen Miya perform similar feats on the battlefield. There was this one time when several countries allied themselves in order to attack our island together. Miya simply sliced their warships in half with the destructive force of the shock-wave created by her sword stroke. Destroyers, Cruisers, Battleships none could withstand us once Miya decided that something should no longer exist."

Alex sat wide eyed at Karasuba's frank description of the wholesale slaughter of men and women at the hands of a single alien female armed with only a sword. "She killed..."

"Oh, don't get me wrong none of us remained un-blooded in that conflict. I personally killed more than 500 soldiers. Mutsu, Kazehana, Matsu they all had body counts of at least 200 that day. Does that upset you?"

"What do want me to say? Of course it upsets me! To hear you describe the death of hundreds of soldiers, men and women, like it was simply last Monday at the slaughterhouse!"

"They were threatening the lives of my sisters and brothers. Embryos and fetuses they may have been, they were all that was left of my species. Humanity on the other hand was over 7 billion strong. The 'common cold' has killed more of your species than WE ever did."

Alex did not like her logic, but there was really nothing he could do about it at that moment so he shook his head and continued with his story. "After the victory against Sovereign and Saren, My ship was attacked and destroyed. I was killed. Not bad for a corpse, huh."

"You weren't killed." Karasuba replied. Alex stared at her with questioning eyes as she continued her explanation. "You went into a dormant state. This is very common. When a Sekirei 'dies' their physical body goes dormant. If it is possible the body begins repairing itself. If the damage is too extensive, the body remains dormant until it is placed in my ship, and then the ship heals and revives the 'dead' Sekirei. A Sekirei rarely stays dead."

Alex stared at her for another moment before continuing with his story. "Anyway. I was revived, and during the course of my investigation regarding missing human colonies, I discovered that a race of aliens known as the Collectors were behind the both the abduction of the colonists and the attack on my first ship. I then sold my soul to the devil in order to fight them.

Karasuba's eyes cracked open a little further at the mention of the term devil. "Is this devil you speak of the man we spoke with earlier?"

"Yeah, we call him the illusive man. No one knows who he really is. Not even the great Miranda Lawson. Back to the story for a minute I'm almost finished. So we caught a break in the investigation and, on a colony called Horizon, we were able to intervene directly in one of their colony abductions. We saved about a third of the colonists."

"These Collectors are collecting humans, why?"

"Give me a minute and I'll try to answer that question. Then another lead brought us into contact with the ship that had been directly responsible for the attacks on the original _Normandy_ and the colonies. We searched the ship for information and discovered the truth. The Collectors plan to harvest all of humanity. To what end we don't know. But I can tell you that I will not allow that to happen as long as I still draw breath."

"Yes, these Collectors sound like quite the sport." Karasuba's eyes were completely open and Alex saw an unsettling light in them that wasn't there earlier. "The Reapers as well. I must thank you again for finding my ship when you did. To think I might have slept through all of this." Her smile was almost frightening to the battle hardened commander. She moved like a cat onto Alex's lap, the Cerberus shirt riding up her thighs. She straddled his waist. "I must admit, the thought of the battles to come has got my blood pumping quite nicely." She looked down at the bulge between her bare legs. "Yours as well." She bent down and captured his lips in a searing kiss, quickly deepened with the invasion of her tongue into his mouth. A flash of light and once more her 'wings' made themselves known.

With a herculean effort of will, Alex pushed her off his mouth. "Kara, now is not the time."

"I think now is the perfect time for..." She wiggled her hips and her hot sex brushed against his pants clad erection. "It seems the top and bottom halves of you disagree greatly." She laughed, and the sound was musical.

_Even the sound of her laughter is meant to entice._ She grabbed his head and kissed him again, intent on powering through her mate's reluctance to perform as she required. She pushed her rear back into his hands and he involuntarily squeezed the firm naked flesh that he now found himself palming. The skin was smooth and taut under his hands. She smiled at his reaction, and reached down with her left hand to grasp the metal clasp on the front of his trousers. With a tug the clasp was torn off his pants and Alex could see the metal piece bent and twisted between her fingers.

Alex grabbed her by the waist and pushed her off of his lap. "I told you now is not the time. I still don't trust you completely. Now finish your meal we have a lot of work ahead of us before we hand your ship over to the Quarians."

Karasuba smiled, her eyes once again hidden behind her eyelids. but she said nothing as retrieved her chopsticks and continued eating. As the meal came to an end. Alex found himself with questions of his own. Everything that he had heard from Kara so far showed that humanity had been in contact with aliens and the majority of the public didn't even know it. "Kara, I have a few more questions for you. You said that Miya is probably still alive and living on earth. Could there be other Sekirei like her still alive? You've already acknowledged that there were 108 of you on the ship."

"When I left, all of the Sekirei had been revived by Mu-chan and Minato. As the Sekirei plan winner it was his right to do with the losers as he wished. He could have claimed us all as his property, but he was very much like you, principled." She spoke the last word as a rebuke.

"The Sekirei Plan? What's that?" Alex asked. He remembered that Kara had mentioned it once before, but with everything else going on, he had not had time to inquire about it earlier.

"The Sekirei Plan was a game. A fun game. A game where all the little birds, the Sekirei, went out among the humans to find their chosen ones, their Ashikabi. And once they were found to duel to the death until there was only one Sekirei/Ashikabi pair left. That pair, your ancestors by the way, were given the option to ascend to the higher plane of the Gods. As one of the last two Sekirei left, I fought Mu-chan, Musubi, until both of us were broken and bleeding. Such glorious death surrounded us. The twisted and ruined bodies of the last of Minato's remaining Sekirei littered the battlefield. All except for Mu-chan..." Karasuba paused for a instant as the memories of the last battle of the Sekirei plan came to the forefront of her mind.

"Let me get this straight. All 108 of you were made to find Ashikabis like me and then fight each other? I take it that this was something you were forced to do. Did MBI force you to fight?"

"Me. No, no one forced me to do anything. I played my part in the Plan for the thrill of the fight. Many of the others were not so fortunate to have the option. They fought and died. Some on the end of my sword. Some on the other, more prepared Sekireis' weapons."

"What do you mean, other, more prepared Sekirei? Weren't you all trained for this..." Alex practically spat the last word of his question "tournament? Weren't they all warriors like you"

"Oh, good heavens no!" Karasuba laughed. "Many of them were just as weak and untrained as the unsuspecting, idiotic humans that would become their Ashikabis." Karasuba leaned back into the sofa as she relived the memories of the slaughters that she committed in the name of MBI. "The fights were usually less than fulfilling. One hundred poor souls thrown out in the streets to find someone they've never met, to fight in a game they were not given a choice to play, and, ultimately die a futile and meaningless death." She watched the fish swim for a moment before continuing. The rules had always been heavily stacked against them anyway. Minaka, the CEO of MBI, saw to that the moment he put _10,000 Cold Nights_ in my hands. My job was to make sure everyone 'played' by the rules and to make sure everyone participated in the game. Several tried to run, to leave Tokyo. Going out-of-bounds was not allowed. They were punished accordingly." Her smile faltered for a split second. The memory of one pair that had actually escaped the city flitted through her conscious thoughts for a brief moment.

"So let's see if I understand this correctly. You're telling me that MBI sent over 100 untrained, unwilling _people_ with their partners, who were equally unqualified, into a battle royale without giving them any training or preparation of any kind?! That's insanity."

"The plan was created by a man who thought that he could ascend to godhood through this game. Insanity was just the beginning...

"Shepard! Is that sword carrying alien bitch in there with you?!" A voice yelled through the cabins door.

"Jack? Is that you?" Alex answered without getting up.

"Yeah, it's me! I was hoping to have a few words with that long-haired freak! And by have a few words, I mean beat the shit out of her. But I can't find her anywhere... Are you fucking that bitch right now?! Not that I really care where you stick your dick, but damn, even the Cerberus cheerleader would be better than that skank!"

"Jack, even though it's none of your business who I spend my time with, we are not having sex. So come in and tell me what the hell you need."

Jack stepped through the door and looked at Karasuba. "I need some goddamn satisfaction for this!" She pointed to the large bruise on her face. "Just look at this shit, Shepard! I look like Two-Face's tattooed fuck-buddy." Jack turned to Karasuba. "You and me in the shuttle bay in five minutes. You can bring that sword to make it fair. Oh, I'm gonna paint the ship with your entrails."

Karasuba nodded and got up, her blood-thirsty smile firmly in place, but Alex stood in between them. "Jack, your face will heal in a few days. You don't need to do this."

"What I don't need is the galaxy's last boy scout telling me when I can and when I can't get some justice around here. Hell, I'm giving her a fair fight. Even letting her keep her sword."

"Absolutely not Jack. First, you know the rule about biotics on the ship. Second, there will be no fights to the death on MY ship. IF I allow this to continue, both of you must promise that you will stop when the first person is unconscious."

"Fine! I'll just beat her ass until she looks like this on her whole body."

"If she wishes another nap, I'm happy to oblige." Karasuba stood, retrieved her squad uniform, and proceeded to put the outfit back on. "Much better. I feel ready to play."

"Then let's go, bitch!" The two combatants stepped out of the captain's quarters and into the elevator, with Alex right behind them.

By the time the three had reached the shuttle bay, word had already spread around the ship that there was to be a spar between Jack and the new alien on-board. Joker, who had recorded and replayed the entire conversation between the three, had informed everyone that the fight would be televised and recorded for those who wouldn't be able to get away from their duty stations, or who simply wanted a copy for their own personal enjoyment. For a nominal fee of course.

Garrus and Zaeed had already started a ship-wide betting pool by the time the two females and Alex had made it to the shuttle bay. The rest of the ground team was there as well. Mordin and Chakwas were on standby in case either of the two needed emergency medical attention. Tali and Miranda were standing next to Grunt, Jacob, Zaeed, Garrus, Thane, and Samara. Kasumi was nowhere to be seen, but that did not mean she wasn't attending the festivities.

Alex shook his head at the groups that had formed to watch the bout. "Jesus, do none of you have anything better to do?"

Garrus spoke up for the group. "Uh... No. I've got your girl at 2 to 1 odds. I've seen her fight, but now that we know what she can do, I think psycho white female number 1 should be able to handle psycho white female number 2."

"Count me out, Garrus." Alex looked over at everyone else. "And you're all here, because?"

"Shepard. As much as I am in agreement with you that this spectacle is not a good idea. The crew here are all off-duty. And I am interested in how the.." Miranda began.

"Karasuba." Alex corrected, somewhat upset that she was still being referred to as THE alien.

"Yes, how Karasuba stacks up against Subject Zero."

"We saw how Jack stood up on the ship. She didn't. This isn't really gonna prove anything more."

"Maybe, Shepard, but this time both are handicapped by not having their primary weapons."

"Yeah, Kara was really crippled without her 2 meter long razor blade, alright." Alex pointed at the remnant of the black eye that he was still sporting.

"I agree with Miranda, Shepard. We need to know how well our new guest can fight. If she ever turns on us we'll know her weaknesses." Tali said in support of the fight to come. "However, that doesn't mean I agree with the two idiots over here who are trying to turn this into a spectacle." Tali motioned to the two would-be bookies.

"Ladies and gentleman welcome to fight night on the _Normandy._ In the blue corner weighing in at whopping 102 pounds, the Zero, the only... Jack! In the red corner we have new comer, no pun intended, well maybe somewhat intended, weighing in at somewhere around 96 and half pounds we have the pint-sized axe...wait, sword murderer Karasuba!"

Kasumi flashed into view for a moment, whispered into Zaeed's ear and vanished once more.

The two fighters stepped into the center of the shuttle bay and began circling each other. From Alex's point of view he could tell the two were only sizing each other up, waiting for some signal that would break the stalemate.

"Alright ladies no punches below the belt and no pulling hair. Just kidding. And here's the bell." A loud fight bell sounded through the intercom.

With a snarl, Jack lunged at Karasuba with a left jab that her opponent dodged at the last second. She followed the jab with a quick one two combination, neither of which landed. Jack continued her assault only to miss every time. "Well, look at the queen bitch. You sure can dodge, can't you. What's your game plan? Wait until I die of old age?" Another swing and a miss. Karasuba continued to smile at angry biotic, her eyes fully slitted like a fox watching its prey trying and failing to look threatening. "Come on bitch! I wanna see what you got."

With a slight almost imperceptible nod of the head, Karasuba joined the fight in earnest. Alex, having seen the nod, knew instinctively that Karasuba was about to go all out. As Jack swung again, a right hook aimed for Karasuba's jaw. She ducked under the biotic's fist and with the flat of her palms simply pushed her away. Jack slammed against the bulkhead a good 5 meters away from her adversary, like she had been shot horizontally from a cannon. Jack lolled for a long moment trying to regain her breath that was stolen from her by the metal wall. She staggered for another moment and Karasuba waited until Jack had taken up a stance once more.

Jack threw two more combinations in quick succession hoping to catch the Sekirei with at least one of the four punches. Karasuba recognized that while Jack had seen hand-to-hand combat before she was not a well trained fighter. _She probably relies on her elemental abilities too much. She's definitely not a fist type like Mu-chan._ Karasuba, growing tired of dodging and parrying Jack's ineffective attacks, caught the next punch mid-flight and twisted the offending arm behind Jack's back. Jack snarling in pain and anger reared back, with her free arm, to give the other woman a face full of elbow. Kara, her other hand still free batted the elbow away and then kicked her legs out from under her.

Jack hit the deck, hard. She broke Karasuba's hold on her hand and jumped back to her feet. Her corona began sparking and her fists glowed the tell-tale blue-purple of an active mass effect field.

"Jack! What did I say about biotics on the ship?!" Alex yelled as realized the ex-convict's intentions.

"It's acceptable. I want to see what this primate can really do." Karasuba stood and waited for Jack to continue with whatever she was going to do.

"Acceptable, huh? We'll see how acceptable you find it, when you're lying in a pool of own blood." Jack flashed forward and caught Karasuba in the center of her chest with both fists. Kara flew backward into the side of the Hammerhead, heavily denting craft's light armor with her body. Pulling herself from the Kara—shaped indentation in the side of the hovercraft, Karasuba stepped forward, the only sign of her discomfort was a deepening of the dark circles around her eyes.

"That was interesting. I can see the monkeys have indeed evolved into a species worth fighting!" Jack growled at the racial slur and flashed forward again, this time hitting nothing but air.

Jack felt a hand grab her by the neck and forcefully slam her into decking. "I may have forgotten to mention parlor tricks like that only work once." Karasuba, still only holding Jack with the one hand around her throat, picked her up off the floor and threw her into the bulkhead she had hit previously. Karasuba stalked forward once again allowing her opponent time to catch her breath, which took considerably longer than the first time. Jack stood on her feet and shakily slipped back into a fighter's stance.

"You think you're such a fucking badass don't you?! Well, I'm not done with you yet!" With little to no warning, she fired a shock-wave at Karasuba at almost point-blank range. Karasuba, in turn, simply leaped four meters straight up, flipped and landed on her hands. While still in the hand-stand, she twirled her body and caught the biotic mid-chest in a spinning kick that knocked her into the shuttle sitting on the far side of the bay. Karasuba, once more on her feet, strolled over to where Jack was lying, un-moving on the deck.

"I believe she'll need medical attention. Now." The audience was stunned. Even Joker, for once, was speechless before the utter devastation wrought by the ashen-haired alien. Garrus, and Zaeed gave Karasuba a deer in the headlights look as she walked past them. "I will await you in our cabin." With nothing further to say Karasuba continued walking purposefully toward the elevator. Once the elevator she stepped lightly into it, turned, selected the loft, and smiled to the awestruck assemblage as the doors closed.

* * *

><p>Author's Note:<p>

OK, Chapter 3 is finally done! I have received everyone's votes for which Sekirei they'd like to see in this story and I will add them whenever I get to that point in the story.

I apologize for the long interlude between updates. RL can be a RB sometimes. I hope to be able to update this and all of my other stories on a more regular basis.

Special Thanks to my beta MoonSword1994. You have been invaluable in getting and keeping me inspired and writing. You're the best!

Until next time, please read and review. Believe me, with your help, I can only get better.

Piper out!


	4. A Crow Meets A Queen

The Lion & The Crow

Chapter 4:

The island Alex found himself standing on was rocky and desolate. There was little vegetation of any kind on its surface. The island itself seemed no more than a large deposit of granite, basalt, and other igneous minerals that appeared to have been scooped out of the caldera of a volcano and dropped unceremoniously in the middle of the ocean. The shape of the island was irregular and large black rock formations jutted here and there on the island's surface. As he studied the island's appearance a name sprang from his lips 'Kamikura.' That was the island's name, the name given to it by the island's discoverers. It had little to differentiate it from the myriad of tiny islands that surrounded the small nation of Japan. Little except for one item of significance that could not be ignored.

The alien ship, Kara's ship, dominated the island's interior. It was an enormous construct. The hull's organic design flowed around it like it had been grown, rather than constructed, to fulfill its purpose. The alien beauty of the ship mirrored the beauty of the alien creatures that had been discovered within its belly. Alex was amongst four such aliens. Each of them wore the uniform that was immediately familiar to him. This had be Kara's disciplinary squad. If he was standing among them, then he had somehow tapped into Karasuba's memories.

"Pay attention, number zero-four, you know how I dislike repeating myself." The lavender haired beauty spoke with a soft lilt that in no way disguised the authority she held over the group as a whole. Her form was slender, very much like Kara's own and she wore her straight lavender hair in a long flowing mane that brushed the tops of her thighs. To say the sword on her hip was impressive would do the elegant weapon a severe injustice. The hilt alone extended almost half a meter from the belted scabbard. The handle was wrapped in a sumptuous silk, the color of which was only a few shades darker than the Sekirei leader's hair. The sheathed blade jutted out behind the alien woman for the better part of two meters. Miya looked at him for a brief moment before turning away and addressing the others. "According to Minaka-sama the enemy will be upon us soon. Each of you know your duties. I expect nothing less than a complete victory."

A small chorus of 'hai's' rose up from the group, Kara included. He watched through Karasuba's eyes as she strode to the cliffs where Miya was standing and looked out over the horizon. He saw the unmistakable proof of her words. Human ships. Dozens of human ships of every size were steaming their way to the island. Many of the ships bore the insignia of several of the world's superpowers. It was obvious to both Karasuba and Alex that this flotilla appeared to be a coalition of nations brought together for no other purpose but the wholesale invasion of Kamikura. They were coming to seize that which did not belong to them. Alex recognized Karasuba's anticipation at the prospect of bloodshed. She would kill in the name of her unborn siblings, but she felt little kinship for them.

Karasuba grasped her sheathed sword in her left hand, the blade's lust for blood calling to her, pleading with her to spill rivers of the red liquid on the islands' black sands. She turned her attention away from the demon blade, and back to the armada bearing down on the small island. She watched as a smaller flotilla broke off from the main force, landing craft no doubt. The intention was clear, land on the opposite side of the island and catch the island's inhabitants in a two-pronged attack. For anyone but the disciplinary squad that would be a sound tactic. But Kara knew in her heart none of the invading force would survive to regret their decisions. Not a single human soul on those ships would live to see another day. Alex, watching the entire affair through the red lens that was Karasuba's bloodlust, was struck palpably by a grimly amusing thought, _Miya would not be the only one of us to slaughter this day._ Karasuba smiled.

"Karasuba, get into position. Mutsu provide support." Miya said as she motioned for the two steel haired Sekirei to intercept the landing parties that would assuredly try to catch the group in a classic pincer attack. "The humans will be here soon. We must be prepared to greet them in the name of our own." Karasuba and Mutsu nodded their assent to Miya's orders and both jumped to the nearest two outcroppings of rock. The heights his Sekirei could leap, boggled Alex's mind. He became almost nauseous as he watched the two as they zigzagged across each other's paths. They leaped from boulder to boulder each trying to outpace the other as they followed the shoreline. The acrobatic duo each kept an eye on the incoming ships. They needed to be in position before the first soldier's boot touched land.

The two stopped abruptly when they found the most likely landing zone for the craft. They waited for their quarry hidden among the rock formations of the island. Their steps light and silent as the grave as they awaited their prey's arrival. Karasuba stood on one side of the beachhead and Mutsu on the other. From their vantage points they both could see the boats making headway, Alex dreaded what he knew was coming. Karasuba had mentioned a battle similar to what he was witnessing now and she had described a massacre. _Five hundred. Karasuba had said that she alone had killed over 500. Miya, the most powerful of the group, presumably much more than that. _

The landing craft moved into their positions and began disgorging their armored occupants. Tanks, APC's, and troops moved onshore with military precision. There were enough troops and armored vehicles to level a city. As the enemy made their beachhead, The two waiting Sekirei wordlessly made their attack plans as well. As the last of the troops waded ashore, Mutsu struck. He leapt out of cover into the center of the thickest grouping of tanks and with little more than a hand signal and a cry of anger he struck the earth with his sheathed sword and Alex watched almost unbelieving as what amounted to an earthquake erupted from the point of the sword's contact with the ground. It rushed outward in jagged expanding lines quickly engulfing the luckless vehicles in tremendous gouges in the earth. It was as if Mutsu had somehow forced open the mouth of hell to swallow his victims whole. The tanks were crushed as the fissures closed around them.

Karasuba did not sit idly by while Mutsu had all the fun. Using her agility and her sword's demonic cutting technique she cut a bloody swath through the troops standing in groups on the far end of the beach away from Mutsu and his man made earthquake. She was faster than many of the men could even follow as she weaved among them dismembering and disemboweling anyone unfortunate enough to be too close to her blood soaked weapon. Alex heard through Kara's ears a high pitched sound, he realized that the sound was a single note soft and almost musical and he realized it was coming from the sword itself. The blade was singing it's joy at the carnage it was creating for its master.

The enemy had lasted almost no time at all. The dead littered the ground in heaps. The smoldering wreckage of the armored vehicles were scattered and half buried. Thick oily smoke rose off the steel carcasses. The occupants, killed as they tried to escape their steel coffins, were lying where they died, half in and half out to the vehicles' openings. Karasuba frowned at the sight. She had clearly hoped for a more long lasting fight. She eyed the craft as they tried to make a hasty retreat. There were more victims there, she just had to figure a way out there. She felt a hand on her shoulder and turned to see Miya standing behind her.

"I will take care of those. Matsu" Miya nodded to an orange haired female with glasses who nodded back and shut her eyes. Alex was unsure of what he was seeing, but it appeared that Matsu had somehow gained control of the ships' electronics as the retreating craft began to behave as if they had no steering control whatsoever. Miya nodded her approval, and then, with a swift decisive swipe of her own sword, cut the air in front of her.

Alex watched unbelieving as a shockwave as thin as the sword's blade and as tall as the tallest ship's deck flew outward from the invisible strike. It cut across several ships at once and the ships' hulls split apart as easily as paper before a razor. The destroyed ships sank quickly. A few more swipes of her sword were all that were required to finish off the rest of the ships and then it was quiet. Miya walked lightly by Karasuba and for a split second, Alex felt as if she were looking at him not Kara. Her eyes, a striking blend of hazel and violet, were more than just beautiful, they were otherworldly. The eye contact lasted but a moment, and then he was awake in his bed many light years away from the being that he now knew without a single doubt was still alive.

Karasuba slept next to him, her naked body, for that was how she demanded she be allowed to sleep, was turned away from him. The creamy, smooth curve of her back was just visible under the bed sheet, her arms wrapped her pillow in a death grip. Her steel gray hair flowed around her body. Alex's eyes were drawn to a symbol nestled at the base of her neck, between her shoulder blades. It had a stylized picture of a bird, with a yin-yang symbol directly underneath it. It looked distinctly Asian in origin. A primal instinct took over, and without even realizing it, he reached over with his free hand and touched it.

The symbol seemed very warm to the touch. He stroked it with his thumb. _Was it a tattoo?_ Something in the back of his mind told him that it was more important than that. Karasuba, without turning, reached over her shoulder to grab his hand. "I suggest you stop that. Unless you're prepared for the consequences."

"What consequences?" Alex noticed that the symbol was now noticeably warmer than it had been even a moment before. Karasuba turned onto her back and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"These consequences." She pulled him on top of her and captured his lips in a burning kiss. He could feel the smooth swell of her bare breasts and against his chest. Her black-light wings burst outward once more. They passed through the bed to curl around the two of them before dissipating into motes of light once more. The two kissed more roughly. Even though he was lying on top of her, Kara's mouth and tongue was the more dominant in their exchange.

His hand moved down to palm one half of her shapely rear. Her legs wrapped around his torso in response to the aggressive action. He squeezed the muscular yet compliant flesh. Things were going way too fast, but in that moment Alex cared very little. Kara reached down to remove the last barrier between her and the completion of her claim on Shepard, his boxers.

Kara could feel his erection through the boxers thin material, but that wasn't enough, not nearly enough. It felt long and thick, and she wondered if it would fit inside her. Her previous Ashikabi, had shown no interest at all in the act of mating, not that she cared at the time. She'd reacted to Musubi's Ashikabi, but had winged herself on Minaka's choice instead. Now she had claimed Minato's descendant, and she would partake in all of the pleasures that existed for a true Sekirei/Ashikabi pair.

She pushed his boxers off Alex's hips with one hand, as she held him with the other. His member was burning hot in her hand which only stoked her carnal desires even more. Alex shifted his body unconsciously to prepare for penetration.

SHEPARD, THERE IS AN INCOMING MESSAGE FROM THE QUARIAN SALVAGE TEAM. THEY REPORT THAT THEY HAVE COMPLETED TRANSIT THROUGH THE LAST MASS RELAY AND SHOULD BE IN OUR VICINTY WITHIN THE NEXT GALATIC STANDARD HOUR. MIRANDA OUT.

The interruption was all that was needed to break Alex from his lust induced haze, and he jumped from Karasuba's grasp back to his side of the bed. Kara was not happy about the failed attempt at seduction. She got up and walked into the bathroom without a word. A moment later Alex could hear the shower running. He got up and removed a clean uniform from the dresser in front of his bed. He dressed and walked over to his desk terminal to respond to Miranda's notice.

"Understood Miranda. Karasuba and I will be down for breakfast in roughly fifteen minutes. Shepard out."

He retrieved his shoes and socks as Kara emerged from the refresher, a towel wrapped around her body. She removed the towel and looked at her D-squad uniform. Her nose crinkled cutely as she realized the outfit would need to be cleaned. She turned to Alex, who nodded in understanding.

"Yeoman Chambers, can you have several new_ Normandy_ uniforms in Karasuba's size brought up to the loft. And have her original clothing added to the laundry."

YES, SIR. KELLY OUT.

"That should help. I think that I would rather have you blending with the rest of the crew, right now. I want to keep as few people as possible aware of who and what you are."

"I can take care of myself. I don't..."

"I know that. However, I want to make sure that the rest of the crew is protected as well. Your presence on this ship puts more than just your life at risk."

"If your crew is so weak that they cannot protect themselves, they shouldn't be here. You are of Sekirei; you are strong. If they can't measure up to your standard, then what are they doing out here with you?"

"Kara, there are few that _can_ measure up to my standard, but they're good people that give me their all day in and day out. I'd take this crew over a hundred clones of me any day. Is that understood?"

Kara shook her head, but before she could answer the doorbell rang. "Commander, I'm here with Kara's new uniforms."

"Thank you, Kelly. Kara's not dressed at the moment so you can just leave them in front of the door."

"Yes, sir. See you at break..." Karasuba opened the door and grabbed the clothes from Kelly's hands before Alex could stop her. Kelly, in turn, got an eyeful of naked Sekirei before she could avert her eyes. Her eyes widened at the sight of the beautiful alien that looked so very human by comparison. Then just as quickly as the door opened, it was closed and Kelly was once again alone in the hall. She shrugged, and got back on the elevator.

"Kara, you have to stop flashing my crew." Karasuba shrugged and proceeded to put on the female crew uniform. He had to admit, she filled out the uniform in all the right places. "Are you hungry?"

"Of course." Kara responded as if the answer was the height of obviousness.

"Then I suppose we should head down to the crew deck and get some chow, food"

She raised an eyebrow at his correction. "I know what 'chow' means. I speak Japanese, English, German, and Mandarin, fluently."

"Do you know 'Sekirei'?"

"No. Only Miya ever knew that language, and she never saw a need to teach any of us." Alex nodded. He could understand the sentiment. If their ship had been a colonization vessel, then it made sense that the inhabitants would focus on the indigenous languages rather than their own.

"Are you ready?"

"One last..." She belted Cold Nights to her hip then nodded.

The two made it down to the crew deck a few minutes later. They saw that Rupert had already begun serving the "day" crew. The buffet style breakfast options actually smelled quite good. The crew that were still eating saluted as the Captain arrived on deck. The salutes were often followed by rounds of "Morning Captain" or simply "Shepard." Everyone gave Karasuba a wide berth, the memory of Jack's dismantling by her hand s were still fresh in their minds.

Karasuba stepped up to the beginning of the queue and began filling three plates with food. Even Alex had never eaten as much as she had gotten herself. "Wow, lady. That's a lot of..." Rupert started, but a look from Karasuba informed him wordlessly that it would be wise to not finish.

"That is a lot of food." Alex commented as he prepared his own plate.

"A Sekirei must consume larger meal portions due to our physiology." She said as the two sat down at an unoccupied table.

"Shepard." Tali stepped up with a selection of sterilized food tubes in her hand. "Do you and...Karasuba mind..." Karasuba seemed to mind a great deal as she watched the Quarian with cold eyes. "Umm, I guess I'll just go over there instead."

"Shepard! 'Suba!" Joker called out to the both of them. He hobbled over to the table. "Holy crap that's a lot of food!"

Before Alex could correct him, Karasuba looked at him and shook her head. "'Suba is not my last name."

"Well with Shepard calling you Kara all of the time, I assumed your name must be Kara Suba."

"That's incorrect. Karasuba is my given name. I do not have a family name... though I suppose that's no longer true. It would now be... Shepard." She stopped for a moment, reached out behind her, and seized a handful of air, which materialized into Kasumi's throat. "I suggest that you breathe a little lighter, or not at all, if you wish to sneak up on me. And you really shouldn't smell like cherry blossoms."

"...Right, no breathing. And no sakura scented body wash." Kasumi said once Karasuba released her grip on her neck.

"Holy shit, Commander. She can catch Kasumi when she's sneaking around!" Joker exclaimed. He turned to Karasuba, "You're allowed on the bridge whenever you like, as long as you don't, you know, decide you need to test your sword on me or something."

"Kasumi, please sit." Shepard said as he motioned for the seat on his right.

"That's OK Shep. I wasn't that hungry anyway." She rubbed her throat, Karasuba's grip on it strong enough to leave impressions.

"Joker you wanna to sit before you break something important." Karasuba shook her head very slightly

"... Naw, I'll be fine...over there... somewhere..." Kara nodded in agreement with Jeff's decision to sit anywhere but at that table.

"You know it won't actually kill you to spend some time getting to know my crew."

"Neither will it make me stronger." Kara said between mouthfuls of eggs.

Alex watched as she ate what amounted to three separate meals with only a pair of chopsticks. It amazed him that she made eating the huge portions without fork or spoon look effortless. He returned to his own meal and only finished it in the same time that she finished all three plates of her own breakfast. "Well, the salvage team will be here soon. I still need to walk through the ship with you and make sure we have removed anything they will not need to pilot the ship. Kara only nodded as she placed the chopsticks on her last empty plate.

"I only have another set of squad uniforms, and my sword cleaning set."

"I see..." Whatever else Alex was going to say was interrupted as he saw Samara exit her observation room and with an almost supernatural grace walk into the mess area.

Samara approached the table Alex and Kara were sitting at in the mess, the serenity of her face marred by a look of concern. She stopped just shy of the table, respecting Kara's silent command that she not sit down.

"Shepard," said Samara, "do you remember the task I was working on when you recruited me?"  
>Alex nodded and put his cup of coffee down. "Of course I do, Samara. Have you had a breakthrough in your case?"<br>"Yes," replied Samara in her usual calm voice. "The ship AML Demeter has made port on Omega"  
>"Are you sure?" asked Alex, an eyebrow raised.<br>"Yes, my source is very reliable. We have a brief window of opportunity and should make haste to the station. It will only take a little time before she has fully acclimated herself to her new environment."

"I take it from your demeanor that you have a plan in mind." Alex asked and noted from the corner of his eye that Kara's eyes were fully open. She was becoming interested in the conversation, her blood red orbs twinkling with curiosity.

Samara nodded. "Indeed I do. and you must play a crucial role, Shepard. Morinth is attracted to specific types of and those with the spark of creativity are her preferred prey, though her definition can be quite broad."

"I'm not that much of a creative type, Samara, so I hope you know of a good way for me to fake it," said Alex wryly.

"You give yourself too little credit, Shepard," replied Samara with a small smile. "I watched you as we fought on the Collector ship. You are very much an artist on the battlefield, moving with the grace and fluidity of a dancer, molding the shape of the battle much like a sculptor molds clay. That is why I know that you will attract Morinth to you like few could."

Alex nearly choked on his coffee. "You want me to be the bait?!"

"Yes, I feel that she will be unable to resist you. A fact I am very much counting on," said Samara, her vocal inflection remained even. "You will attract her attention, then when she has put herself in a compromising position, I will be there to end her once and forever."

"No," responded Kara, speaking for the first time since Samara arrived. "I will not allow you to endanger him in such a needless manner."

Samara turned her attention to Kara, her grey eyes narrowed. "It is not needless, my dear. Morinth is a predator of the highest order, hunting the innocent to satiate her endless hunger."

"Then I will be the bait in my Ashikabi's place." said Kara calmly.  
>Both Alex and Samara stared at her with surprised expressions.<p>

"Kara, this is far too dangerous for you," said Alex but the look on Karasuba's face would brook no argument on the matter. He tried anyway. "You don't have to put yourself in this position."

Kara looked at him, her usual grin once again firmly in place. She was becoming excited. "While I admit that I have very little practice at being the prey, I know how to handle myself well enough."

"But Kara-" started Alex but she cut him off.

"No, Alex," she said harshly, "your mission to stop these Collectors and Reapers is far more important than this one particular monster. Besides, Morinth should make an interesting adversary, and I have been wanting to experience a real challenge since our fight on my ship."

"Since there seems to be no dissuading her," sighed Alex with a rueful smile, "What do you think, Samara?"

Samara was silent for a few moments, weighing the possible outcomes of Kara's offer. "The plan should still work with her as bait in your place, as long as she agrees to allow me to dispense justice as I see fit. Shepard, you should join me as another bodyguard in case Morinth proves to be too much for Karasuba."

"I will let you have your 'justice,'" said Kara dismissively, not even arguing the point, which surprised Alex a great deal.

He turned from Kara and said "Then as soon as our business with the Quarian salvage team is fone, we'll head straight to Omega and put this plan into motion,"

"Thank you, Shepard, Karasuba." said Samara with a slight incline of her head then she departed the mess.

Turning back to his breakfast companion, Shepard asked in a more hushed tone than normal, "Kara, are you really sure about this. I don't doubt your abilities, but this Morinth has been alive for over 400 years, and she has been perfecting her skills at killing for many of those years."

"I have matched blades with a true monster in my life and survived. This Morinth does not frighten me. She will simply allow me to gauge how much of my skill I have retained since I left your planet. The rest is of little consequence." Karasuba said as she looked at him intently.

"Little consequence. What do you mean little consequence?" Alex did not enjoy it when Kara spoke as if her life did not matter.

"I mean that until this fight against the Collectors, and their masters the Reapers, has been won, I will prepare for them by destroying your enemies. It is the role of the Sekirei to fight and the Ashikabi to plan and strategize. And I am not like your ancestor, Musubi. She loved to rush headlong into any fight with little to no planning whatsoever."

"Sounds like something one of my ancestors would do." Shepard laughed sheepishly and rubbed the back of his neck.

Karasuba got up to leave and looked back to Alex silently questioning what he was doing. "I'm cleaning up. You should at least have the courtesy to clean up yourself."

"You are my Ashikabi. Therefore, I will allow you to clean my plates if you wish." She then turned and waited for him by the elevator.

The two stepped out of the elevator and into the CIC. Karasuba immediately recognized the source of their earlier coitus interruptus, Miranda, speaking quietly with Kelly. Though with her hearing they might as well have been shouting.

"...pard said that she hadn't gotten dressed yet, when I went up to the loft to deliver the uniforms."

"Do you think the two have...?" Miranda asked before she realized the two had gotten off the elevator.

"To answer your question. No, we have not." Karasuba's eyes were slitted once more, but she wasn't smiling. Miranda noted with some trepidation that the newest member of the _Normandy's_ crew was idly fingering the hilt of her infamous sword.

Miranda was familiar with the myth of 10,000 Cold Nights. Cerberus, in their desire to place mankind at the top of the galactic food chain, had seriously researched many of humanity's myths and legends. A sword with the ability to cut anything, as the legend suggested, would have been an invaluable addition to Cerberus's arsenal. The myth, however, had led nowhere, and was written off as a Japanese fantasy. Now she knew why. It hadn't been on Earth at all. It had been locked up in a ship thousands of light years away.

She watched Karasuba stride with purpose over to the area that they were standing, only to ignore them entirely as she stepped up to the galactic holo-map and began searching for, something. Alex followed behind her and stopped in front of the two female crew members.

"Shepard." Miranda nodded in lieu of a salute.

"Commander." Kelly said to show respect to her CO.

"Lawson. Miss Chambers."

"I trust your breakfast was satisfactory." Miranda said somewhat anxiously as it was apparent from Karasuba's manner that she had become the center of the new alien's ire.

"I can't complain. Have either of you eaten yet?" Shepard asked amiably, keeping one eye on the two female humans and one on Karasuba. He was still unsure what the long-haired alien might do to his XO because of the earlier interruption.

"Yes, I ate a couple of hours ago in my quarters." Miranda answered.

"I just had a quick bite, before clocking in for the day shift." Kelly said somewhat nervously. She could feel the tension in the air and was becoming distinctly uncomfortable.

"Hmmm..."

The two _Normandy_ commanders turned to see what had made Kara make that particular sound when they saw that the map was zoomed in on Omega.

"That reminds me, Miranda. I spoke with Samara, and have agreed to assist with the completion of her mission. It seems the AML Demeter has made berth on Omega and she believes the criminal she has been hunting will take up residence rather than leaving with the freighter.

"This place, it seems quite interesting. According to your codex, it is controlled by one of the blue aliens. This Aria T-Loak is very intriguing. What can you tell me about her?" Kara interrupted as she gazed at the holo of the ancient mining station.

The three humans looked at Karasuba for a moment, before Kelly answered. "It's actually pronounced T'loak not..."

Kara stared at her with an upturned eyebrow.

"Got it, just the facts... She's one that defies an easy description. She can be cold, logical, arrogant, and condescending."

"Sounds like someone else we know." Miranda muttered under her breath.

Karasuba, paid no attention to the XO, and continued to listen to Kelly's description of Aria. "But she's also decisive, capable and very powerful. The self-titled Queen of Omega has been the de facto ruler for over a hundred years, and she's only recently reached her Matron years. She could remain in power for another 500 years or more.

Kara nodded in understanding. The warning was clear. Aria is not to be underestimated. Having exhausted her curiosity on the subject of Omega she stepped back down from the holo-projector and turned to Alex. "I believe that it's time to take care of the ship before these Quarians arrive to take custody."

Alex nodded and then addressed the ship from his Omni-tool. "Mordin, would you and Tali meet me and Karasuba at the bridge to begin the final ship inspection before we relinquish it to the Quarians.

MORDIN HERE. WILL BE THERE MOMENTARILY.

SHEPARD, THIS IS TALI. I'LL BE UP ON THE BRIDGE IN A FEW MINUTES.

Alex was the first to step back into Karasuba's ship. Miranda had insisted that she be included as well, to which Karasuba smiled brightly. It was by far the scariest expression he had ever seen on his Sekirei's face. Miranda's request was promptly denied. He told it was for her own good, and he sincerely meant it. That Karasuba momentarily appeared unhappy about his decision only served to confirm his suspicions.

The team worked their way back to the central chamber, once there they would split up to work more. Tali would locate the engineering decks, for lack of a better description. Mordin would head to whatever could be called the medical wing, and he and Kara would find the command and control deck.

"Kara, please inform the ship that Tali would like to go to the engine room. and Mordin would like to go to the medical bay." At the sound of his command, two exit doors melted away from the walls on different sides of the room.

TALI, FOLLOW THE RED LINE. MORDIN, FOLLOW THE GREEN LINE. The bodiless voice informed the two crew members. Tali and Mordin both did as they were told and left the chamber headed to their destinations.

"Kara, take me to the command room."

She shook her head. "There isn't one."

"What do you mean, there isn't one."

"I command this ship, and I do so from anywhere I wish. Even from the inside of yours. I simply think about what I want it to do, and it does it. Why use would I have for a command room?" The only command that Miya denied me was the ability to use it's destructive power on the people of earth."

A moment later the walls of the chamber became glass. All around the two was a galaxy of stars. Alex saw the _Normandy_ next to them. He turned back to his Sekirei. "If you command it, how will you be able to hand the ship over to someone else?"

"Quite easily, actually. I simply designate another to command it as Miya and Minato did for me. The ship can read and decipher the thought patterns from any entity that enters it."

"Wait, are you saying that this ship has been reading my mind this whole time?"

"Yes. This ship has been monitoring your thoughts since you first stepped aboard. If I requested it, the ship could tell me every thought you've had about me since we met. I knew who you were as soon as you stepped on-board. The only reason you were able to enter my ship is because I allowed it."

"But how? You were asleep when me and my team came on board."

"Asleep, yes. Unaware, no. I had the ship feeding me information subconsciously as I rested. At first there was very little, of course. Once I had discovered that the Sekirei homeworld was indeed gone, I put myself in the egg and gave instructions as to what should happen in the event this ship was discovered. It was fortunate that a human ship found me. I recognized the name Normandy, and gave my ship permission to prepare itself to host humans."

"So you're saying you decided to wake up and see what us humans were doing in a spaceship this far away from earth."

"In a manner of speaking, yes. I was also curious about the other non-human aliens that accompanied you. By the time you made it into this chamber, I had fully reawakened, I simply waited for the most advantageous moment to make my presence known."

"Advantageous moment? I could have killed you."

"Highly doubtful. The ship had already described to me your reliance on firearms. Sekirei, as a general rule, are difficult to kill with guns, even that large heavy weapon you carry in the middle of your back would be rather ineffective. If I had really felt threatened, I would have killed you first, then the big lizard, the bald woman next, followed by other two aliens and finally Kasumi. But I wanted to know what humanity had evolved into in my absence. And I wanted to see if the genetic resonance I felt from you was real, or if it was just some illusion brought about by a subconscious desire to be connected once more. You have not disappointed me."

Karasuba stepped closer and pulled Alex into a tight embrace; her lips crushing into his and the stars around them were forgotten.

Tali followed the lighted path and a few minutes later she found herself in another circular chamber. The engineering room, if that was where she was, was bare of any and all technology except for one large spherical construct in the center. The construct's shape superficially resembled the drive core on the _Normandy_, but that was where the resemblance ended. This core, for lack of a better word, was at least twice as big and did not emit the tale-tell blue/purple corona of an active mass effect field that the was the hallmark of element zero cores.

As she moved closer to spherical drive core, the surface changed from opaque to transparent. At the center of it was a microscopic mass of pure darkness. The black was so absolute that she knew at once what she was looking at. The ship was powered by a black hole, or more accurately, a quantum singularity. She scanned the core with her omni-tool and it told her what she had already surmised several times. This ship was unlike anything she had ever seen before.

She hesitantly stepped forward and placed a gloved hand on the transparent surface of the core shielding. It was very cold.

ENGINEER TALI, I HAVE MODIFIED THE ENVIRONMENT OF THIS ROOM TO MATCH YOUR PHYSIOLOGICAL REQUIREMENTS. YOU MAY REMOVE YOUR HELMET, IF YOU SO WISH.

"What... How did you..." Tali scanned the room and confirmed that the air quality exceeded even that of the level five clean rooms on the _NaRayya_ or the _Neema_. There were also no biological contaminants of any kind. Trusting that her OT wasn't inaccurate, she depressurized her enviro-suit and unlocked the seals around her neck. Fresh cool air seeped into her helmet. She unconsciously took a deep relaxing breath. She pulled the helmet from her head and set it aside. "Computer..."

YOU MAY CALL ME HIKARI, ENGINEER TALI, AND I DO NOT REQUIRE VOCALIZATION TO BE ABLE TO RESPOND TO YOUR QUERIES.

_Hick-ari... Are you an AI?_

IN SOME WAYS, YES. IN OTHER WAYS, NO. I AM, IN THE SIMPLEST OF TERMS, THE CONSCIOUSNESS OF THIS SHIP. I WAS CREATED TO FACILITATE THE MIGRATION OF THE BEINGS, YOU KNOW AS SEKIREI, TO OTHER PLANETS.

_How did they build you?_

...ARE YOU CERTAIN THAT YOU WISH TO KNOW?

Tali nodded.

I MUST WARN YOU, KNOWLEDGE OF MY DESIGN IS NOT EASILY ASSEMILATED. THE LAST TIME I REVEALED THIS INFORMATION TO A NON-SEKIREI, IT FRACTURED HIS PSYCHE.

Tali hesitated for a few moments then nodded again. Shepard, her beloved captain, would never let fear or uncertainty stop him from doing what he knew was right, as a member of his crew how could she do anything less.

VERY WELL.

Tali screamed...

Mordin stepped into an oblong room that he assumed was somewhere close to the front of the ship. The room itself was empty except for a host of hollow openings in the walls from floor to ceiling. He stepped up to the closest wall and the interiors of each of the openings lit up brightly.

DR. MORDIN THIS IS AREA IS WHAT YOU REFER TO AS THE MEDICAL BAY. ALL OF THE NECESSARY FUNCTIONS FOR MEDICAL TREATMENT IS PROVIDED IN THE LIGHTED CABINS.

"I see, fascinating technology, how is treatment accomplished?"

I SCAN THE PATIENT'S BODY, REMOVING ANY FOREIGN MATERIAL, THEN SUPPLY RAW MATERIAL AND APPROPRIATE HEALING ACCELERANTS THAT ACCELERATES THE PATIENT'S OWN HEALING FACTOR. COMPLETE PHYSIOLOGICAL RECONSITIUTION BASED ON THE PATIENT'S GENOME IS ALSO ACCOMPLISHED USING SIMILAR MEANS.

"Astounding. Must make for short recovery. How long?"

THE MAJORITY OF ILLNESSES OR INJURIES REQUIRE MORE THAN 6 STANDARD HOURS TO TREAT. AND IN CASE OF A CATASTROPHIC PHYSIOLOGICAL DISRUPTION, A PATIENT'S BODY COULD BE COMPLETELY RECONSTRUCTED WITHIN 24.

"Hmm fascinating. Short recovery time. Rebuild from genomic template. Does that mean . . . can rebuild entire body?"

YES.

"Unique process indeed, must know how it works, priority alpha."

...VERY WELL...

Mordin fainted...

"Hey Commander. I'm reading a quarian salvage vessel coming up on our six. Looks Like we got company."

Alex broke off from Kara for the second time that day. Much to Kara displeasure. "Copy that Joker... Mordin, Tali."

"...", "..."

"Mordin. Tali. Do you read me?"

"...", "..."

DR. MORDIN, AND ENGINEER TALI ARE CURRENTLY UNCONSCIOUS. THEY MADE REQUESTS THAT WERE DIFFICULT FOR THEIR PSYCHES TO PROCESS. I WILL REAWAKEN THEM ONCE THEIR MINDS HAVE FULLY PROCESSED THE DATA THAT I HAVE GIVEN THEM.

"What do mean, process the data you have given them?" Alex asked his tone, reflecting anger and worry over his crew mates.

ENGINEER TALI REQUESTED SHIP DESIGN DATA. DR. MORDIN REQUESTED DATA REGARDING THE MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY. BOTH OF THEM WERE UNPREPARED FOR THE RESULTING INFLUX. I HAVE BEEN MONITORING THEIR CONDITIONS AND THERE APPEARS TO BE NO LASTING DAMAGE.

"No lasting damage! Kara, did you know your ship was going to do that?"

"Yes The ship requested permission before any data was given to your crew members. I wanted to see what would happen if they received it."

"What would happen? For all you knew the ship could have killed them!" Alex was now visibly angry.

Karasuba shrugged. "If your races are going to make use of this ship's technology someone must step forward to claim it. The engineer and doctor made their choices. And now that they have, it will be much easier to replicate this ship's technology in time to fight the reapers."

"Kara, I understand your rationale, but if you ever make a decision about the lives of my crew like that on your own again, I will find a way to hold you accountable. Is that clear?"

"...Yes..."

"Joker, tell the Quarians that I will meet with them on their ship in thirty minutes."

"Aye, aye Commander."

"Come on Kara. We need to get Tali and Mordin and head back to the _Normandy_."

The two walked to the engineering deck first and found the entrance locked.

I APOLOGIZE BUT ENGINEER TALI IS NOT WEARING HER HELMET AT THE MOMENT AND EXPOSURE TO AIRBORNE CONTAMINANTS CAN CAUSE A SEVERE ALLERGIC REACTION. I SUGGEST THAT YOU RETRIEVE DR. MORDIN FIRST. I WILL ALERT YOU ONCE TALI IS PROPERLY SEALED IN HER SUIT.

"Fine..." Alex didn't like it but a view into the room through the wall confirmed that Tali was indeed not sealed in her suit. It required a second look before he registered the fact that he had just seen Tali's face, her actual face, and she was beautiful. He shook away the realization and followed the lighted walkway to the medical wing.

"Your AI, is quite helpful. I think I understand now why Joker hates ours."

Karasuba looked at him with a raised brow, but said nothing.

A few minutes later and the duo was standing over the prone form of Dr. Solus. He appeared to be reciting a song in his sleep.

"Mordin."

"Huh..." Mordin's eyes snapped open and he looked around from his position on the floor. "Shepard, assume you're here because of my condition. Data influx too massive, cerebral cortex overloaded, ship's medical technology unprecedented."

"Yeah, I heard. Are you alright?"

"Fine, I assume. Have Chakwas do a scan to be certain."

"Doc, the Quarians are here to take possession. Should I be sending them back to the migrant fleet empty-handed?"

"No, no. Understand the necessity. However, will need to remain with the ship, someone else might get it wrong."

"Are you absolutely sure? I may still need you on this mission."

"Will give all mission data to Miranda, this ship more important."

"If you say so, Doc. I'm gonna miss you."

ENGINEER TALI IS NOW AWAKE. YOU CAN NOW ENTER THE ENGINEERING DECK, IF YOU SO WISH.

"Come on Mordin, Kara. Let's go get our chief engineer. Though I got a feeling she's gonna give me the same news you just did."

"Agreed. If received similar data, will need to remain with the ship as well."

The three stepped into the engineering deck and found Tali standing in front of an opaque sphere. Her hands rested on the surface for a moment before she turned toward Alex and the others. "Shepard, Mordin, Karasuba."

"Tali. How you feeling?" Alex asked as he stepped closer to Tali.

"Like I've been hit by a space freighter, but I think I'm...okay."

"You, sure? When we get back on the _Normandy_ both you and Mordin are reporting to Dr. Chakwas for medical scans. Is that understood?"

"Understood, Commander."

"Yes, Shepard."

"Good, cause the salvage team is here, and I'm gonna need you to make introductions, Tali."

"Shepard, I believe that I will need to accompany the salvage team back to the fleet. The ship's technology is unlike anything in existence. It will be difficult for my people to decipher it without my help."

"Yeah, I kinda figured you were going to say that." Alex smiled at Tali's wide glowing eyes. "Mordin's staying with the ship too."

"Oh, I see. Well in that case, let's get this over with. The sooner I can get this ship back to the migrant fleet, the sooner I can get back to the _Normandy _and the mission_." Maybe with a few upgrades._

Alex nodded his agreement. "Oh, by the way, Tali, I just wanted to let you know that I happened to see you without your helmet."

Tali stopped mid-stride and turned to Shepard. "Shepard, you saw me without the... bucket?" Her fingers twined themselves into the semblance of a celtic knot.

"Yep, and I have to ask, are all Quarian females as gorgeous as you or am I just that lucky, to have such a beautiful engineer working for me?"

"I, I... I don't..." Tali's stammering trailed off quickly."

Alex placed a hand on her shoulder and smiled down at her. "You're so cute when you're embarrassed."

"Hmm!" Tali turned away and stormed down the hallway.

"As charming as that scene, wasn't. Let's get this over, before I die of old age. Or boredom. Whichever happens first." Karasuba followed after Tali.

"Still seem to have problems dealing with females. Can forward you instructional materials. Have diagrams, charts, schematics."

"Thanks for the offer, Mordin. But I think I can manage."

The Quarian ship, _Alarei_ slipped beside the _Normandy _and came to a full stop_. _Alex and company emerged from the docking collar, and headed down to the med bay. He wanted to verify for himself that his crew members were ship-shape before he met with the Quarian team. Tali was an important piece in this situation, and he didn't want to give the visiting Quarians any cause to believe that she wasn't completely safe under his care.

"Tali's needed in the shuttle bay as soon as you're done scanning her, Doc. Tali, once Chakwas gives you the green light meet me by the shuttle. I have to give Miranda the news. And I don't think she's not gonna like it very much."

"Good." Tali muttered under her breath. Alex raised an eyebrow at her response, but said nothing.

"Mordin, You can head back to Kara's ship once you have everything you need. I will make sure the Quarians are aware and approve of your transfer to the..."

"The _Hick-ari_, Shepard. The ship's name is the _Hick-ari_." Tali interrupted.

Karasuba sighed. "That's _Hikari. _What you're saying sounds more like the name of a tree."

"_Hikari_. Nice name." Alex nodded. "Once I give you the all clear, Mordin, you can begin transferring your things to the _Hikari."_

"Understood, Shepard. Will begin packing as soon as scan is complete."

"Okay, Shepard. If you're quite finished handing out orders, I have some medical scans to complete, so please continue on our way, and I will make sure these two are sent back to you as soon as I'm done with them." Chakwas made a shooing motion with her hands, then turned and began scanning Tali.

"Thanks, Doc. Tali, Mordin, I'll see you both in the cargo hold." Alex turned and left the med bay, Kara following along until they reached the elevator.

"I take it from your silence, that you have no objections to any of my plans." Alex looked at Kara for a moment. Her lidded eyes betraying nothing.

"None."

"Why not?"

"I care little for that ship. It was a means to an end once. And it will be again."

"That's a little cold, even for you."

Karasuba shrugged. "I see no point in needless sentiment. The Hikari will serve a purpose, that is all that matters... You are so much like her..." Kara stroked the side of Alex's face, before he could pull away.

"Like who, my ancestor Musubi."

"No... I believe you said you had much to do. I, on the other hand, have little to do and would like to take a nap. Both your Engineer and Doctor have been given command of the Hikari. I will see you after your business with this salvage team is done." Kara turned and entered the elevator before he could stop her.

"Shepard. I was coming out to find you."

"What do you need, Miranda?" Alex turned toward his XO, as the doors of the elevator closed.

"Shepard, I am formally requesting to be part of the away team. I want to be there when you hand the ship over to the Quarians. Now don't..."

"Fine."

"say, no... Did you just say, 'fine'."

"Yes, Miranda, I did. Go ahead and get ready. I'll meet you on the cargo deck. I want to talk to Garrus first." Alex turned and began walking down the corridor toward the forward batteries.

"Shepard." Miranda said to his back, then turned and walked back into her office.

Shepard stepped through the entrance to the batteries and found Garrus once more at the haptic interface making some adjustments. "Shepard. I was just finishing up on some..."

"Let me guess. Calibrations, right?"

"No. I was finishing up some correspondence to my folks back on Palaven."

"Oh, sorry. I guess I kind of assumed."

"Yeah, you did. Now, what's that quaint earth saying? Something about assumptions creating mules out of us."

"Assumptions make an ass out of you and me." Alex retorted.

"Hey, it's your people's saying. Not mine." Garrus shook his head. "Was there something I can help you with? Are we finally leaving this galactic section of nowhere?"

"Yeah, I want you to accompany me, Miranda, and to meet with the Quarian delegation." Alex said as stepped next to the tall turian.

"What, your psychotic shadow not accompanying you?"

"She decided that her presence wasn't required."

"I see. So how exactly are you supposed to hand over command without her being there?"

"She's already given Tali and Mordin command. They are going to go back to the flotilla with the Hikari."

"What's a Hikari?"

"Sorry, that's the name of Kara's ship. I need you ready and waiting down by the shuttle in fifteen."

"Then I'll be down there in ten..." Garrus's mandibles spread in the turian approximation of a smirk. "Just as soon as I finish these calibrations."

Shepard shook his head, and turned to leave. "See you later Garrus."

He continued back to the elevator and entered it. A minute later and he was entering his loft. He looked over to the bed and found Karasuba's borrowed uniform strewn about the place. He shook his head, and moved over to the dresser. He removed a fresh uniform and proceeded to enter the shower.

Not a moment later, a very naked Karasuba, stepped into the shower with him. "I believe we have some unfinished business." The smaller female pushed him up against the wall, and captured his lips in a fierce kiss. Her wings sprouted again, but neither of them cared at that moment.

After a moment more of kissing, Alex's instincts took over and he quickly hoisted the woman up onto his hips. Her legs immediately wrapped around his waist. The kissing intensified as she began rubbing up against his body. Steam rose off of them as their bodies became like furnaces.

"Do you want me?" Kara whispered in his ear unspoken lust weighed her words heavily.

"Yes! God, I want you!" Alex licked and sucked on her earlobe and pawed the wet shapely flesh of her rear.

"Good." Kara abruptly disengaged from the very aroused Commander, and stepped back out of the shower. "Remember this moment the next time you feel the need to give others the attention that should be mine alone... Now don't you have somewhere to be?" Without waiting for an answer she turned, retrieved a towel and walked out of the refresher.

Alex growled but said nothing, as he quickly turned the shower knob to ice cold. He washed and dried himself before he exited the refresher. Once he was fully dressed, he left the loft without a word to Kara. His mood was only marginally improved by the sight of his away team awaiting him by the shuttle.

"Joker, let the Quarians know we're headed their way." Alex said as he ushered the other three members of his team into the shuttle.

"Also let them know that our shuttle is not clean." Tali as she took the co-pilot position next to Alex.

"Will do." Joker cut the comms and relayed the messages to the _Alarei._

The trip was short and quiet. Miranda and Garrus sat in the back of the shuttle. Alex pondered the immensity of the _Hikari._ It dwarfed the other two vessels floating next it. He did not have long to think of the possible ramifications of the technology that lie within the ancient craft.

"_Alarei _to shuttle. We have arranged accommodations and await your final approach vector."

"Roger that _Alarei._ Submitting approach vector now." Alex responded as he keyed in the approach angle and speed into the shuttle's navigational computer.

The shuttle slipped into the bay without a hitch and the two passengers in the back filed out in front of Tali and Alex. Alex stepped in front of his team ready to greet his new partners.

"Commander Alex Shepard. Which one of you is... Reegar is that you?" Alex clasped Reegar's arm shook it vigorously.

"Hey, Commander. Good to see you again. Ma'am."

"Oh, Reegar, you never change. I told you to call me Tali."

"Yes you did, ma'am. Yes you did. The Admiral will be meeting you in the briefing room. Right this way."

"The _Alarei._ So my father did decide to come personally after all. When I first heard that he would be heading up the salvage team, I didn't quite believe it."

"Your father..." Alex smiled at Tali. "You mean I get to meet your father today, as well."

"Tali stumbled and caught herself. "Yes, well... yes, you will."

"Hey, Tali, do I get to meet your father, too?" Garrus asked.

"You, you ignorant turian, better remain seen and not heard. Is that understood? I still remember all of those stupid questions you used to pester me with in the Citadel elevators. So just keep your mandibles zipped and let Shepard and me do the talking."

"You're coming through loud and clear, Tali." Garrus chuckled to himself.

"If we can focus on the situation, please." Miranda's veiled rebuke cut through the friendly chatter like a knife. "Shepard, as a representative of Cerberus, I want to be able to discuss some of the terms of the ship's transfer."

"I know you do. As far as I'm concerned as long as you don't try to derail the negotiations you can negotiate for whatever you like. though I doubt the fact you're a representative of Cerberus will buy you any goodwill. The Quarians can always say no." Alex gave Miranda a look that brooked no rebuttal from the dark-haired XO.

The group continued to follow Reegar to the sit. room. Once they reached the entrance, Reegar stepped aside and ushered them through the door.

"Admiral Zorah. I present Commander Alexander Shepard, his executive officer, Miranda..."

"I can take it from here, Reegar." Tali interrupted. "Admiral, I want to formally introduce you to the commanding officer of the _Normandy SR2_ and my captain, Alex Shepard. Shepard, this is my father, Admiral Rael'Zorah."

"And what exactly are you on the _Normandy_, Tali?" Rael asked in a clipped professional tone.

"She's my chief engineer, and third in my chain-of-command. Admiral it's an honor and a pleasure to be able to make your acquaintance. I have worked closely with your daughter for a while now, and she has done nothing but surprise and impress me at every turn." Alex turned to see Tali doing her best not to fidget under the scrutiny of the two most important men in her life. "Relax, Tali. I promise not do anything that will embarrass you." He said through their commlink.

"It's not you I'm worried about. It's my father. He can be very critical."

"Shepard, word gets around pretty quickly in this galaxy. I'm not one to believe in idle gossip, but Cerberus is not an organization I wish to do a lot of business with." Rael looked pointedly at both him and Miranda.

"I understand, Admiral. Would it help for you to know that Cerberus hates the idea that I'm giving you the ship in the first place?"

"There is a small measure of comfort in knowing that I am in some way thwarting the ambitions of that racist organization."

"Admiral, Cerberus is not..." Miranda stalled when all eyes in the room turned to her, none of them showed any interest in the rest of her statement.

"Admiral, If I may? My executive officer, Miranda Lawson. As she has informed me on more than one occasion, she believes the operatives that attacked the flotilla were a splinter group who were not acting on the authority of Cerberus's upper management. Moving on. We have a lot to discuss and time is short. The last member of my team is Garrus Vakarian. He's here primarily to act as a Turian representative in these matters. Though I expect him to be mostly a silent representative."

"Hey, when have you ever known me to be anything else?" Garrus spoke up sarcastically.

"There is another member of my crew, Dr. Mordin Solus. Both he and your daughter have very recently become my subject matter experts on the technology of the _Hikari_. They both have extensive knowledge of the ship's core systems and will be made available to you to hasten the re-engineering efforts."

"Really, and how have they come by this extensive knowledge? I was informed by you no less that you only discovered the ship less than 2 days ago." Rael asked, clearly skeptical.

"I think it may be easier if I give Tali the floor, so she can explain."

"Thank you, Shepard. Fa... Admiral Zorah. I have recently... for lack of a better word.. communed with the... VI that controls the ship, and it was able to pass on a great of technical information in a very short period of time." Tali turned to her omni-tool and quickly began keying in data. Data that was being relayed to large monitor on the far wall. Her fingers flew over her OT's interface. "As you can see from these schematics, the ship's basic design is centered on two central cores. The two cores work in unison. The rear core is the power source for the ship. The front core houses the VI. The rear core utilizes a completely new energy source. One that, until now, has only been theoretical. It uses a quantum singularity."

"A quantum... a black hole? That's impossible. There's no way they can be controlled, not to mention the fact that anything caught within it's event horizon would be crushed." Rael countered, firmly disbelieving.

"I agree with both of your points, Admiral. With our current technology, there is no way we could ever control such a monster energy source. However, The _Hikari_ is nothing like our current ship designs. Even the materials used to create the hull are far beyond our current metallurgical technology. But the... VI has given me the knowledge to leap that chasm." She quickly continued keying in information. Vast complex multi-dimensional field equations flowed across the screen like digital rain. Rael was having a hard time comprehending just what he was seeing, and his daughter seemed to have mastered it in less time than it took him to master his basic math skills.

"That's just impossible..." Rael looked from Tali to Alex and the rest of his team. "Just what have you uncovered?"

"My thoughts exactly, Admiral." Alex admitted as he watched Tali's formulae slide across the screen, one after another. Only Tali seemed unperturbed by the advanced scientific knowledge that was being laid at the Quarian Admiral's feet.

"Tali, please continue? Alex asked trying to regain the attention of his chief engineer.

"Yes sir. The _Hikari_ is the most advanced I've ever seen. Even the Collectors' ship isn't as advanced. This could be just what our people need to reclaim our homeworld, Admiral." Tali stopped and sat down next to Shepard.

"Admiral, as you can see, this ship will change the technology of the galaxy forever. We are here because the Quarian people are the only ones I trust to re-engineer this technology and share it equitably with the rest of us. My only request in this matter is for you, as the representative of the Migrant Fleet, to agree and adhere to a contract stating that while you have physical possession of the _Hikari_ any discoveries made from said ship will be distributed throughout the council races fairly and without prejudice. I don't know if you believe it or not, but I've seen what's coming and this ship could be the one thing that stands between us and the Reapers."

"Admiral, on behalf of our sponsor, I would like to take this opportunity to extend an olive branch and let you know that Cerberus is completely behind this action and wishes to offer whatever resources you may need to make this new technology a reality. We can offer experts in many areas of science, medicine, and industry. As well as state of the art facilities on many worlds, including Illium and Bekenstein."

"I see... Where is the commander of the ship? I was told a female was found on the ship. Why is she not here to facilitate this transfer?"

"Ah," Alex rubbed the back of his neck somewhat nervously. "Karasuba has already handled that part of this arrangement. Tali and Mordin have been given clearance to command the ship at this time. They will be accompanying you back to the flotilla, and will remain with the _Hikari_ until such time that functional prototypes can be created from the tech. After that it will remain to be seen what will happen. I have a mission to complete. The Collectors still need to be dealt with before I can take on any additional responsibilities."

"Understood. Then all that is left are the formalities of the transfer. Please forward me the appropriate documents."

"Very good Admiral." Miranda, keyed in an private message to the Admiral with the documents attached. A few moments later and the documents were signed and delivered back to the XO. She verified the signatures and nodded to Alex.

"Well Admiral Zorah, I must say it's been a pleasure doing business with you. I hope to hear good news from you very soon. Tali, as soon as we're back on board the_ Normandy_ make sure you and Mordin are ready to depart."

"Aye, aye Shepard." Tali said and then turned to her father. "Fath... Admiral it was good seeing you again." She saluted her father then turned back to Shepard and nodded.

"Since I'm here as a representative of the Turian Hierarchy, I might as well speak up. Give the tech to the Turians last. There I've said my piece. I'll just shut up now."

The trip back to the _Normandy_ was even more silent than the trip to the _Alarei_. Reegar had escorted the group back to the shuttle, and had exchanged his goodbyes with Tali, Shepard, and Garus. As they flew back to the _Normandy _it began to dawn on them that none of them knew exactly what to expect once they actually started getting the _Hikari_ moving. They had just brokered a deal that would affect the galaxy for centuries, and they weren't even sure they could turn the engine on.

The group broke up and went their separate ways. Each had a job to do and now it was time for them to do them. Tali found Mordin and each began commandeering crewmen to assist them in moving their equipment over to the _Hikari_. It still required another two hours before the two were ready to leave the _Normandy._ Alex and company said their farewells in the mess, and he realized that even Kara was in attendance, though she said very little.

Tali and Mordin retreated back to the _Hikari_, and the docking collar between the two ships flowed back into the _Hikari_ like quicksilver. Another moment later and the Quarian ship had attached itself to the larger vessel's under-carriage. Alex watched from the bridge as the _Hikari_ began to power itself up.

"Holy crap, commander! That thing is giving off some ridiculousl energy readings!"

"_Hikari_, do you read me."

_LOUD AND CLEAR COMMANDER SHEPARD._

"Actually I was expecting Tali or Mordin to answer me."

RIGHT HERE SHEPARD. TALI IS BEGINNING THE FINAL COUNTDOWN TO THE DIMENSION SHIFT. WILL BE UNDERWAY MOMENTARILY.

"Roger that, Mordin. Good luck, and we'll see you soon. _Normandy out._"

The _Hikari's _dimension shift did not disappoint. It didn't take long for Tali to complete the count-down, before what looked like a beam of pure energy shot from the front of the ship. The beam seemed to stop at a point a few hundred kilometers in front of the three ships. A few seconds later and it appeared as if the beam had drilled a ship wide hole in space. There through the hole he could see the massive live ships of the migrant fleet. The _Hikari_ had just tunneled through thousands of light years of space in a instant. Alex watched, amazed, as the two ships entered the tunnel and exited out the other side just before it sealed itself up. He looked to Joker.

"Well there goes my job security." Joker said despondently.

"What the hell are you talking about, Joker?" Alex asked, perplexed by the pilot's negative comment.

"Think about it commander. Who's gonna need pilots when all you have to do is punch a hole in the fabric of the universe, to make your get away?"

"Only you would see _that_ as a potential pink slip, Joker." Alex shook his head and left the bearded pilot to his own devices. He returned to the mess to find Samara waiting for him by the observation deck.

"Commander, now that you have completed your mission to get the alien craft into the hands of our allies, I believe that you made a promise that I need for you to fulfill as soon as you can."

"I haven't forgotten, Samara... Joker lay in a course for Omega. Samara and I have some personal business to take care of."

"Aye, aye, Shepard."

The trio stepped into the harsh glare of the docking bay's artificial lighting. Alex led the two alien females out of the bay and into Omega proper. Their ultimate destination was an Ardat-Yakshi's lair, but first they had to announce themselves like visiting dignitaries arriving at court. Aria would undoubtedly know of their presence, but it showed good faith and Aria had already been lenient with him once. Garrus had teased the Commander mercilessly about Aria's apparent attraction. He joked that the only people who could get away with the exploits he got away with were people she wanted to "meld" with. Alex was unimpressed.

Karasuba, for her part of the short journey, was silent as she took in the atmosphere of Omega. Her crinkling nose was the only visible response to her disagreement of the squalor and filth of the ancient space-station. He kept an eye on his newest crew member as she idly fingered the hilt of her favored weapon. She had been persuaded, though how he actually accomplished the feat even he was not completely sure, to carry a side-arm. She proceeded to hide the pistol among the folds of her voluminous gray outer robe. He had, however, hit a petite ashen-haired brick wall when it came to the idea of her wearing body armor. She would have no part of it and she made her dislike of metal apparel in general quite plain. She was currently wearing her preferred battle garments, her D-Squad uniform.

Alex glanced to his left and found Samara equally silent. The elder Asari and the younger Sekirei almost twins in their quiet aloofness. Samara had outfitted her blood-red Justicar's uniform with a bevy of weapons, that she, no doubt, had centuries of experience using. She moved with a grace that even his unbelievably fast Sekirei had trouble matching. He wondered briefly how a fight between the two of them might turn out. He shook the thoughts from his head as they reached Afterlife's elcor bouncer.

Alex walked past the elcor and the queue standing in front of the doors and entered the nightclub, his two companions followed closely behind. He made his way around the circular bar and noticed that Karasuba paused for a second as she watched the dancers on the tables and the deck above the bartender. Her eyelids opened just enough for him to see the gleaming red irises underneath, before they slitted once more.

Alex was beginning to understand what the appearance of those beautiful red eyes meant, she must be curious. Fully opened eyes meant she was either astonished or incredibly angry. Slitted eyes were, of course, her natural state. Those slitted eyes paired with a wide rictus-like grin, however, meant she was ready to kill something.

The group made their way up the stairs to Aria's throne room only to be stopped by her Batarian bodyguard, Bray. Aria turned from watching the club goers having a good time. Her eyes narrowed and her smirk widened as she nodded her head for Bray to let Alex past. Karasuba continued to follow, before Bray had a chance to step in the way. As soon as Kara's arm was grabbed from behind, Bray found himself face-down on the steps with a very long blade sunk a meter deep into the steel deck-plate next to his nose.

"Kara!" Alex was visibly angry at the unprovoked reaction his Sekirei had given to being man-handled by the Batarian.

"Bray! Will you get up off your face, and stop making me look like I can't even keep order in my own goddess damned club!" Aria's eyes, flicked between her subordinate, and the long curved blade embedded in the floor. Alex watched the gleam in her eyes brighten momentarily. An angry Aria was fairly easy to deal with. A curious Aria could be a lot more trouble.

"Kara, what the hell were you thinking? You attacked an ally!"

With little more than a raised eyebrow, Kara acknowledged Alex's question. "I was unaware that only you were allowed on the dais. If I had been briefed on the specific etiquette regarding our visit here, I would not have attempted to follow you in the first place." She reached out to grab the hilt of Cold Nights and with a quick tug removed the blade from the steel plating. She inspected it before sliding it back into the ornate scabbard.

"I apologize for my subordinate's behavior. She is a new addition to my crew, and neither I or my senior staff have had time to adequately prepare her for meetings of this nature."

Aria continued to watch both the Commander and his long-haired companion as she nodded. "Due to your past assistance I'm willing to overlook this incident, provided our relationship remains mutually beneficially. Speaking of which, that data slate you provided me during your last visit proved to be even more helpful than I had previously assumed. Thank you, again."

Alex nodded. It seemed the plans for the coup he had stolen from the Blue Suns camp was still paying dividends.

"However, I can be only so tolerant before others start to get ideas about my ability to govern Omega. Am I clear."

"Absolutely, Aria." He turned to look at Kara once more. "Incidences like these will never happen again. I assure you." Kara only nodded her assent at the veiled reprimand. He then looked to Samara, who said nothing during the altercation, and she nodded as well.

"Bray go get cleaned up. You're bleeding all over the carpet. Shepard. Kara." Aria motioned for the two of the them to sit on the opposing section of her leather sofa.

Bray gave a scathing look to both Alex and Karasuba, then turned and left. Samara waited patiently at the top of the stairs as Alex began describing their current situation to the Queen.

"Damn, I knew it. Nothing leaves a corpse quite as empty as an Ardat-Yakshi. Shepard, I assume it's your intention is to hunt this freak down and remove her from my station?"

"Yes it is. My associate," Shepard motioned to Samara, and then continued. "has been hunting this particular Ardat-Yakshi for quite some time... I gather from your comment about empty corpses that she has already claimed a victim since she arrived?"

Aria nodded. "I didn't the know the victim personally, but from what I heard she was an aspiring artist, that lived near the quarantined area. The body was found a day or so later dumped in a large trash bin."

"I see," said Alex as he pondered the new bit of information. "Do you know if the girl has any next of kin living on Omega?"

"I believe she lived with her mother. Close to the market district, unless I'm mistaken. And I usually never am."

"Understood. I believe we have all of the information we needed. I'll do my best to be more discreet this time."

"I would appreciate it. Keeps the natives from getting too restless." Aria flashed Alex another smirk and waited as the two got up off the sofa. "Also, Shepard, if you decide to visit me again, bring the new girl with you. I think I'd like to get to know her a little better." Aria made no secret of who she was talking about.

Alex paused for a moment, then simply nodded and motioned for Karasuba to walk ahead of him down the stairs. With a final nod of respect as a parting farewell, the three _Normandy_ crew mates exited the Queen's presence.

"OK, we now have some idea where she might be helps not having to search this entire station to find her."

"Shepard, if she has killed already then it would seem that she now feels comfortable in her surroundings. It is my advice that we investigate this crime to find any possible clues as to how we might capture her attention."

"I concur." Karasuba said suddenly. "I will need to know some relevant information about her in order for me to have any success at this mission."

"Yeah, let's see if we can find this dead girl's mother."

The investigation into Nef's murder had yielded several pieces of useful information. Diana, Nef's mother, had allowed the trio to search through her daughter's belongings. In an audio diary they found several entries that spoke of Nef's growing obsession with Morinth. Samara explained Morinth's fascination with artists, and Kara realized that she would have to exploit that weakness. Her thoughts spun in several directions. She didn't feel name dropping artists and musicians of this time would be enough to make a lasting impression. She would need a more immediate and visceral impact on the asari's psyche.

"Kara. Samara and I will stay out of sight. You'll need to infiltrate the club and ascertain whether or she's even in there right now. I'll leave it up to you to determine the best course of action after that. I'll hold onto your sword, while you're in there."

Kara nodded in affirmation and unhooked Cold Nights from her belt. She held out the sheathed blade and relinquished it into Alex's custody. "I better get that back in the same condition that it's in now, or I will make your life very intolerable. Is that understood?"

"Yes, Kara."

Karasuba turned without another word and walked up to the bouncer that was waiting at the door to the club. A dropped name later and she slipped through the doors without a backward glance.

As Karasuba stepped into the entryway of the VIP lounge, the violent rhythms of the house music immediately began assaulting her ears. The patrons that hung around the entryway watched her with leering eyes. Her clothing had been chosen for precisely this effect. She continued through the entrance into the main recreational area. The club's circular design was partitioned into sections. The main dance floor and dancer showcase in the center and an outer ring that held tables and the wet bar. She bypassed the bar, and continued around the outer circle.

She passed several aliens, turians, discussing the possibility of committing a crime to pay off, presumably, a higher ranking criminal. She walked past them without a second look. She was here for more dangerous sport. She completed a bit over half of the circuit when she realized the asari she was hunting was sitting in a darkened corner booth directly in front of her. Without even a lingering glance she walked past the shadowy booth and continued around the floor until she was once more standing in front of the club's entrance.

She needed to create a disruption in the club, something to keep her prey's eyes on her. She knew from the investigation that Morinth was attracted to violent actions, but not thugs. She needed, and, as it so happened found, a convenient situation to be a "hero."

Kara noticed two aliens began arguing close to the entrance to the dance floor. A turian male was pulling on what was, from the skimpiness of her outfit, an asari dancer's arm. He was attempting to drag her out of the club and it was very apparent to Karasuba that the alien woman was being abducted against her will. Karasuba decided to make her presence known.

"Let go of me!" protested the asari. "I'm a dancer, you drunk bastard, not a goddess damned prostitute!"

The turian's mandibles flared outward in a lecherous smirk. "The spandex says differently, beautiful. Now c'mon, we're gonna make much better use of that pretty mouth, once I get you back to my place." The intoxicated alien laughed at his own misogynistic joke.

The asari struggled to break free, but the turian's grip on her forearm was too strong. Karasuba saw that if she let this go any further the drunken sexual predator was quite likely to break the young asari's arm in the process of abducting her.

"Is there a problem here?" said Karasuba, her red eyes narrowing at the sight. The turian turned about ready to shout a long string of profanities when his small green eyes went wide.

"By the spirits! I've never seen a human woman like you before." Then he looked at the asari whom was still struggling against his grip. "I think my luck's beginning to change, what do you say, gorgeous, up for a little three-way? I promise it'll be the most fun you can have with your mouth full." The turian chauvinist again laughed at his crude humor.

Karasuba smiled. "If that is what you wish, I'm game, but I do have one small request... Before we begin the festivities."

"Anything for you, dollface," replied the turian eagerly, clueless that his life now hung in the balance.

"Please release the asari. You wouldn't want her damaged now would you? Where's the sport in that?" asked Karasuba sweetly. Her eyes were fully open, the crimson irises twinkling with unrecognized malice.

The turian nodded and immediately released the asari who backed away quickly. He looked expectantly at Karasuba, who nodded her appreciation at his "magnanimous" gesture. She reached for him as if she were putting her arm around his neck, and shifted her weight to her right foot suddenly. She gripped the turian's neck in her fist, and smashed his face into the dance floor as if he were nothing more than a child. Her action knocked the breath from him, and, even through the haze of turian brandy, he realized that his life was in danger.

Karasuba knelt at his side, the fingers of her hand digging into the alien's tough skin. "If you so much as think of another female in any way other than with respect, I will know it, and I won't be so gentle next time. " she said. Her facial expression promised agony and death. She squeezed her fingers once more to remind him of the veracity of her statement, then she released his throat, patted a mandible, and gave him a wicked grin. They both stood up. The turian slipped once on a puddle of his own urine and ran out of the club without a backward glance.

"Thank you," said the dancer appreciatively. "I was afraid he might try to really hurt me."

"Don't thank me, asari. Your profession is ill chosen." replied Karasuba coldly. "I would suggest that you find another before it's the death of you. This station stinks of rotting flesh, so I highly doubt I will be around to help you again." The dancer nodded her head and left the club without another word.

She walked over to the bartender. She wanted to dance, but the music was not to her liking. Perhaps the bartender would be willing to change it to something more inspiring. "Bartender."

The bartender raised his head. "Yeah?"

"Can you change this music to something that doesn't remind me of being trapped in an elevator?"

"Sure I can. But what's in for me?"

Karasuba activated her omni-tool. Alex had given her one right after the _Normandy_ had arrived on Omega. She was still getting the hang of using it, but she had worked with MBI, one of the most technologically advanced companies on earth at the time, so she did know her way around computers and mobile tech. She brought up a song from earth history. One that she had enjoyed periodically while she participated in the Sekirei Plan.

"Play this song, and I'll dance. You won't be disappointed." Kara's voice was even, and the bartender could detect no trace of sarcasm."

"Sure, babe. What the hell." He tapped a few commands into his omni-tool and her song was queued into the club's sound system. She walked back to the dance floor, and found a spot that had been cleared. She closed her eyes, and waited until song's intro began. As the singing began she opened her eyes and danced.

THEY LOVE ME CAUSE I'M HOT! THEY LOVE ME CAUSE I'M COLD! THEY LOVE ME CAUSE I'M REAL! THEY LOVE ME CAUSE I KILL!

Her every movement was a seduction of the senses. She was just as agile and graceful on the dance floor as she was on the battlefield. Her body moved like a serpent entrancing, hypnotizing her prey. The asari dancers above her on the raised platform, stopped and watched Karasuba, lust shining in their blue eyes.

THEY LOVE ME CAUSE I'M HOT! THEY LOVE ME CAUSE I'M COLD! THEY LOVE ME CAUSE I'M REAL! THEY LOVE ME CAUSE I KILL!

Her mind drifted back to the moment when she and Alex had almost consummated their relationship. Fantasies of what that consummation would have felt like fueled her efforts on the dance floor. In her mind, she was making love to her Ashikabi, and she paid no attention to the audience gathered around her.

THEY LOVE ME CAUSE I'M HOT! THEY LOVE ME CAUSE I'M COLD! THEY LOVE ME CAUSE I'M REAL! THEY LOVE ME CAUSE I KILL!

COME AND GET IT. I KILL.

COME AND GET IT. I KILL.

The song ended, and she was brought back to reality as the raucous sound of cheering and whistling filled the club. She looked around and realized that the entire club had been watching her dance. She did nothing to acknowledge the applause. Karasuba stepped out of the dance area. There was only one thing left to do. She began to leave the club. As she had half expected, Morinth intercepted her before she made her exit.

Morinth almost didn't know what to do. The human had given her an exhibition of raw sexuality that she hadn't experienced in a long time. But she knew one thing, if she let the woman leave she would probably never see her again. And that was something she simply could not allow. The Ardat-Yakshi moved quickly to intercept her before she could disappear from her life entirely. "You're the most interesting person in this place. I have a booth over there, and I would very much like to get to know you better." Karasuba nodded and the two walked back to the shadowy alcove and sat down.

Karasuba sat across from her target her eyes hidden behind her eyelids once more. The asari woman was intriguing. She did have the air of someone much older than she looked. She was very much like Miya in that regard. But that was where the similiarities between the two females ended.

She let the asari woman drone on about art and music. She periodically asked probing questions that hinted to the blue female that they shared the same interests The hook had been successful, now the line was being drawn taut. Her prey was eating out of the palm of her hand.

"I wanna take you back to my place. It's not that far, just around the corner."

"Oh, and why would I want to follow you there?" Kara responded, her eyes open and twinkling once more.

"I can tell you, but I think it would be much more fun to show you... In private."

Karasuba smiled and nodded as the two got up and left the club. Once they were outside, Karasuba gave an almost imperceptible nod in the direction of Samara's and Shepard hiding place, and then followed Morinth to her apartment.

Kara and Morinth stepped into the spacious apartment that Morinth was currently calling home. The apartment reminded Kara of the penthouse suite that she had lived in during the Sekirei Plan. The furnishings were elegant, and on the whole, the rooms were tastefully decorated.

"Please make yourself comfortable." Morinth as she claimed a spot on the L-shaped sofa that dominated the main living space. Kara ignored the asari and began to sate her curiosity. The first thing that drew her eye was the sword mounted on the wall. The design of the blade reminded Kara of a European longsword.

"May I?" Kara asked as motioned to the sword on the wall.

Morinth nodded and asked, "Do you know much about swords?"

Kara nodded and with a certain amount of respect removed the old weapon from the mounting hooks. It was still in good repair. It didn't sing to her like Cold Nights, but then very few blades could. Nevertheless, she tested the blade for balance as Morinth watched in silence. She turned to address her host once more. "It's a fine blade. Balanced for fencing." The last was more statement than question.

"Yes, it is. I did some fencing in my younger days. I always enjoyed the moment when the opponent thinks he has you beat right before you take his head."

Kara nodded her agreement. She carried the sword with her as she continued to investigate the various nick-knacks that Morinth had gone through great pains to put on display. _Trophies I'm sure, _Karasuba thought as she made her way around the living room to the loft style sleeping area. The statue of the Krogan Battlemaster caused her to raise an eyebrow.

"The sculpture turned out to have more personality than its creator, but I gave him what he wanted, and I got what I wanted. A fair trade, though I doubt he would make the same deal again. If he were alive that is." Morinth smirked at her remark, and it served to remind Kara why she was here.

After she had exhausted her curiosity, Kara returned to the sofa and claimed a spot on the longer section, the sword next to her. Morinth slipped over to her and claimed her own spot right next to Kara. "So what do you think of my collection?"

"Not bad. But I'm not here for the art or the games. I'm here for you." Karasuba turned her full attention to the Ardat-Yakshi. "I want to know why you wanted me alone. Why you brought me here."

"I brought you here for this." Morinth slipped an arm around Kara's neck and declined her head to claim Karasuba's lips in a searing kiss. Kara could feel the asari's psyche probing around her conscious mind, like a cobra slithering around a mongoose's den. Kara recognized that Morinth wanted access to her mind, but she had no intention of letting her in. "Give me what I want. Give me everything I want. Promise me that you'll give me all I desire."

"No. I don't think so." Karasuba looked at the asari for a moment her black eyes were intriguing, but nothing more. There seemed to be little in the way of a challenge after all. She frowned, and turned away from her to look once more at the sword. It was a nice blade, but much like her adversary, it was totally unworthy of her.

"What?... I... See... The bitch has a partner!" Morinth turned angry and moved to strike the ashen-haired Sekirei in the face. Her fist never made contact. Karasuba held the blue killer's wrist in her own grip. A grip that Morinth couldn't budge.

Samara and Alex ran in the room and saw that Karasuba had Morinth's arm in her grip. "Karasuba, I will take it from here." With a flash of biotic energy, Samara blew Morinth away from Karasuba and into the large picture window at the far side of the room. "Hello, mother!" Kara's eyebrow raised at the mention that her opponent was related to the serene elder asari, but she said nothing. She looked at Alex and realized that he did not know fully about the relationship the two asari had either.

"Do not call me that!" Samara snarled, losing some of her composure in anger.

"I can't stop being your daughter, mother!" With a biotic flash for her own Morinth knocked aside the hold that Samara had held her under and was back on her feet. Alex and Kara watched the two asari women locked in a biotic struggle that appeared to be very evenly matched. "Karasuba, I'm just as strong as she is! I can help!" Kara looked from Morinth to Alex and back.

"Karasuba, Shepard and I have sworn solemn oaths that you know nothing about. If you do as she asks then you will cause him to break those vows.

"Karasuba, I can get of rid of him as well! Just help me kill her, then I'll help you kill him! The two of us could do anything, go anywhere we want after that!"

Alex opened his mouth to object, but was silenced by a look from Kara. She stood between the Asari women, and looked from one to the other. "Karasuba! I'm the genetic destiny of the asari! They just don't want to admit it! Help me! I'll kill the human myself, if you do!"

Kara nodded and turned to Samara. The two locked eyes for a moment, but Samara said nothing. In the Justicar's mind all that was left was for Karasuba to make her choice. Karasuba lifted the fencing blade and slipped into an attack posture that to Alex looked like she could easily remove either asari's head from her shoulders. Karasuba stepped closer to the elder asari, and Morinth smiled in triumph. Then Karasuba spun and brought the blade down on both of Morinth's elbows, slicing her arms off at the joints.

Morinth's concentration and biotic field were both broken by the loss of her forearms. She stared dumbly at the bloody stumps for another second before a blast of raw biotic power threw her to the floor. Samara stepped lightly over to the prone Yakshi and used her mass effect field to keep her pinned there.

"And they call me a monster!" Morinth screamed defiantly, as her mother prepared herself to end what had begun 400 years before.

"Find peace in the embrace of the Goddess." A biotically enhanced punch to Morinth's throat was all it took to end her life. She stood up again and turned to the two watching her. "Thank you, Karasuba, for not allowing her words to sway you." Karasuba only nodded and moved to lay the bloody sword next to Morinth's body.

"Shepard, it is finished. I can continue with your mission with no more regrets. Whatever may come."

Karasuba turned back to Alex and accepted her own sword. She walked out of the room and never looked back. Alex stepped to Samara and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, "Are you okay?"

"I just killed the brightest, and bravest of my daughters. It will take some time before I can say that I am well. But my task is now, truly at an end, and I have you and Kara to thank for that. Even if her methods are somewhat overzealous..." The two looked down at the pair of severed arms still lying where they had fallen. "Let us leave this place. I wish to see it no longer."

Alex nodded his assent, and the two stepped out of the apartment complex to find Karasuba waiting for the two of them, her sword now belted to her hip. The trio returned to the docks. It was finally time for the _Normandy_ and her crew to return to Illium. And Liara.

Author's Notes:

Well, this chapter took forever. I apologize to all of my readers if this chapter isn't quite up to par for this story. I hope the next chapter doesn't take as long to write. It should be a little more action-y than this one, and Liara, Alex's ex from ME 1,and Kara will finally get to meet. Sparks will fly!

Until next time, please tell me what you think, and what you'd like to see in future chapters. No promises!

Piper out.


	5. A Crow Tangles with A SPECTRE Pt 1

The Lion and the Crow

Chapter 5: A Crow Tangles with A SPECTRE

Part I

_Karasuba stood silent as a ghost as she watched the battle raging on the brightly lit Rainbow Bridge that crossed the bay and led out of Shin Tokyo. Her friend and rival Musubi was down there fighting, not just for her own Ashikabi, but the lives of another bonded pair who were too weak to fight for themselves. She found herself anxiously waiting. For something she wasn't entirely sure of herself. The other two members of her disciplinary squad were having varying levels of success. The red-head, Benitusbasa, was handing Mu-chan her ass, to use the vernacular, but 03, Kazehana, and 09, Tsukiumi, were giving 'the Blue Sekirei,' Haihane a rough time._

_She smirked as she witnessed 'Hane get swept off the multi-colored bridge and into the depths of the bay. Kara made no attempt to assist her subordinate. If she couldn't handle the two single-digits she had no place on the disciplinary squad. She focused her attention on the remaining combatants. Beni' now had Musubi in a very compromising position. All of her clothing had been shredded by several devastating earth attacks from the short, mean-spirited loli. The fighting was fierce, and it took everything Karasuba had to remain on the roof of the skyscraper overlooking the bridge. A nervous energy began to seep from her as she watched Mu-chan fall time and again, unable to do any real damage to the kimono wearing Beni'.  
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_The Rainbow Bridge itself was taking some significant structural damage from the concrete erupting fist strikes that were Benitsubasa's signature attacks. Each new strike rocked both the bridge and its occupants as Beni' steadily gained the upper hand over Musubi. _She's not going to last much longer if she's this weak._ Kara shook her head as Beni's last blow knocked Musubi flat to the tarmac. She watched the normally exuberant Sekirei begin to crawl to her Ashikabi, as he cried out her name. Benitsubasa loomed over the fallen Musubi's prone form and reached down to grab the defeated Sekirei by her long pony-tail. A touch to Musubi's crest, and the battle was ended. _Mu-chan, you lied to me. You promised to become the strongest..._ She turned her back to the rest of the scene as she heard Musubi's Ashikabi wailing over her friend's body. _To think that I almost chose him. What a waste that would have...

_"I, the Sekirei of Fate, have felt the love these two share and it is worthy of my protection. I will be your opponent."_

_Kara wheeled around immediately at the sound of her arch-rival's voice. _Yume, I knew it! I knew you were still in there. Still mocking me even after all these years. I will kill you for sure, this time!_ She roof-hopped from building to building as quickly as she could. Beni' was taking a massive beating and would not last much longer. Not that Kara was even attempting to save her. She simply didn't know how much of a window of opportunity she had been given to confront Yume, so every second counted. A few moments was all that was required to place her on top of one of the bridge's suspension cable tower. She crouched low, poised and ready to bring death just as Yume decisively ended her fight with the Crimson Sekirei by blasting her off the bridge, and straight into a metal warehouse over half a kilometer away from the action._

_"Yume!" Kara launched herself forward from her perch, Cold Nights held in an attack position over her head. The ancient sword's keening desire to spill Sekirei blood mirrored her own..._

Shepard woke up in a sweat. He looked over at his sleeping companion and shook his head. _The Sekirei of Fate?_

He got up, being careful not to awaken the sleeping crew member next to him. He did anyway. She stared at him for a moment, her ruby colored irises barely visible behind her slitted eyelids. But he saw enough of them to know she was watching him. "Are you planning on just watching me dress, or are you going to join me for breakfast?"

Without answering, she stretched her body in a rather impressive impersonation of a lioness, and let the covers slip down to her waist. "Perhaps, you should be joining me instead. I'm sure your cook will be more than happy to accommodate us if we decided to take breakfast later than the rest."

"Kara." He reached down to retrieve her gray robe from the floor and threw it in her direction. "Get up."

Karasuba stared at him for a moment then turned away as she slid her arms into the haori robe's sleeves. She slipped out of bed and tied the black sash around her slender waist. The robe was long enough to cover all of the important parts, but her long beautifully toned legs were still very much on display as she walked over to the door of the loft and tapped the holo-lock to open the door. "Well." she said over her right shoulder. "Are you going to join me or not?"

Alex shook his head once more then followed her out of the loft.

The two exited the elevator on the crew deck and Karasuba spared not a single glance to the other crew members she passed as made her way to Rupert's breakfast line. She stepped into the queue and once more retrieved enough to feed three people before she turned and discovered that all of the tables had at least one crew member sitting at them. Alex on the other hand had decided to make his way over to the Starboard Observation Deck to check in with Samara.

"Hello, Shepard." Samara said as he stepped into her sanctuary.

"Samara. I didn't see you at evening chow last night, so I wanted to make sure you were doing OK."

"Thank you for your concern, but I am doing as well as I can expect at this juncture. My daughter made her choices. I must live with the consequences of those choices, but live I shall."

"That is probably the best anyone can do in this situation." Alex said as he looked out at the vast emptiness of space. Star-lines flowed around the ship as it cruised through FTL. The destination of Illium wasn't much farther.

"How is Karasuba doing?"

"She's pretty much the same as she was before the incident on Omega. It would seem that little truly affects her... And she's standing directly behind me. isn't she?"

Samara nodded solemnly. "She definitely has a talent for stealth. A talent that I acquired only after decades of practice..."

"And since she's right here... You can address her by name..." Karasuba said in an annoyed tone. She looked at Alex pointedly, then turned and walked back to the table she appeared to be sharing with Yeoman Chambers.

"Kara, seems to want my company with her breakfast. If you need anything at all, I'm here."

"Again, thank you for your concern. I would, however, imagine that you are needed more there," she pointed to Karasuba's table. "Rather than here." Samara resumed her meditations, as Alex stepped out of the Observation lounge.

Alex kept an eye on Kara as he made his way through the breakfast serving line. Kelly, it seemed, was valiantly attempting to strike up a conversation with the ashen-haired alien woman. Kara was eating quickly and efficiently with her pair of black lacquered chopsticks.

"She's definitely from earth." Alex looked to the side as Kasumi materialized next to him. "Her chopstick technique is classic Tokyo."

As soon as the word Tokyo left Kasumi's mouth, Kara turned her eyes to their location. Alex, having seen the woman do a great many feats, had no doubts that she had probably heard every word Kasumi had said with crystal clarity. _She probably even heard Kasumi trying to sneak up on me._

"Kasumi, please join me at breakfast. Kara, believe it or not, does actually have some interesting things to say."

Kasumi pondered the offer, then nodded. The two walked over to Kara's table.

"...'I'm the ship's yeoman,' would have sufficed as your answer. As I am versed in a wide variety of earth knowledge, your long-winded explanation was pointless, and served little purpose except to add more hot air to the ship's atmosphere." Karasuba said as Shepard and Kasumi sat down at the table. Alex seated himself next to Kara, and Kasumi sat next to Kelly.

Alex had to give his Yeoman credit, Kelly seemed genuinely unfazed by the rude comment. He, on the other hand, was getting completely fed up with Kara's superior attitude. "Kara! She answered your question. That comment was way out of line." He gave his Sekirei a level gaze. "Now I'm only gonna say this once so listen up. You may not like the members of my crew, but if you ever treat any of them with that kind of disrespect again, I don't care who you are or where you come from. I'll leave you at the next port-of-call we come to, and you can find your own way back to earth or wherever the hell you wanna go. Are we clear?"

Karasuba stared at Shepard for a hard minute, red eyes battling hazel for mental supremacy, then she relented and nodded slowly. She turned away from Alex and addressed Kelly once again. "I... I... apologize..."

"That's OK. We're gonna be great friends before you know it." Kelly said, her upbeat nature not allowing her to stay upset for more than a few seconds.

Kasumi smirked as she watched her fellow Japanese resident choke down a large helping of humble pie. "So Kelly, Kara. How's the..."

"Karasuba." Kara corrected. "I only allow my Ashikabi to address me with such informality... As a citizen of Japan, you should be well-acquainted with the concept of politeness."

"There's that word again." Kelly said as she watched the two women interact. The three others at the table and even a few crew members at some of the other tables turned their attention to the ginger psychologist. "Ashikabi. I looked up the term in all of the publicly available language references I could find on the Extranet, and even a few private ones that are only available to professional subscribers, but I have yet to find any mention of the word. Much less an actual definition."

Kasumi looked askance. She hated to admit it, but even she had no idea what the word meant. Though a nagging thought in the back of her mind reminded her that she had, in fact, come across the term once before. She just couldn't for the life of her remember where it was that she read it.

Alex spoke up as well, "I'm still not exactly clear on what an Ashikabi is either. Your previous description was pretty damn vague."

Karasuba smirked. "Yes, I know it was." She looked at each of her audience in turn as she decided how much of the truth she wanted to divulge. "The term is not likely to be found on your Extranet because like me it's not human in origin. The original word is unpronounceable in any of the human languages. I do not even know how to say the term in the original Sekirei. The term Ashikabi, however, is a made-up word that has certain specific meanings. The person who coined the term in Japan has been dead for a long time." Her eyes returned to mere slits as she recalled the last days she spent on earth. "He died in a massive explosion that destroyed a 50 block radius in the center of Tokyo. The term means 'destined one.' A more technical definition is a person that has ancestors that descended from my race, and is, therefore, someone who is genetically compatible to Sekirei physiology. Ashikabi are the only people capable of producing offspring with Sekirei."

"Wait." Kasumi interrupted. "If that's the case, then how would you know who's an Ashikabi and who isn't? Because, not to offend or anything, you look an awful lot like a human."

Alex also chimed in. "I got the impression that Ashikabi have been on earth for a long time, but you said your ship wasn't discovered until the early 21st century. How could Ashikabi even exist when Sekirei weren't among the population?"

Kara smiled widely. "To answer the first, you have to understand, when a Sekirei is in the presence of a suitable mate, an Ashikabi, we know it at an instinctive level. And to answer the second. My ship wasn't the only Sekirei ship to land on earth. There were a total of eight. According to Miya, roughly 50 millennia ago eight colony ships including mine landed on earth. Seven of them landed safely, and the ships were disposed of. The Sekirei colonists then intermingled with primitive Homo Sapiens tribal groups in their respective areas. Initially a device, known on earth as a Jinki, was used to force genetic compatibility, but even after many millennia of interbreeding the Sekirei genes know when they're near their own."

"So what happened to the eighth ship, your ship?" Kasumi asked quietly.

"The eighth ship unknowingly landed near an active fault line. The ship's arrival triggered an earthquake that sank the ship and all of Kamikura Island into the Pacific Ocean."

"Wait." Kasumi interrupted. Kara waited for the short Japanese thief to ask her question. "Given that Sekirei have been on earth for thousands of years, that means that just about anybody could be descended from..." Her eyes widened dramatically and she abruptly disappeared.

Kelly looked at where Kasumi had been sitting and spoke softly to Shepard and Karasuba. "Do either of you get the feeling that Kasumi just got either some really good news or some really bad news. Alex shrugged, and Karasuba smirked.

A moment later, Kara put an end to their confusion. "The thief just learned something rather important. It's actually something that I've known since I opened her carotid artery onto the floor of my ship. She learned that she's a potential Ashikabi..."

Alex blinked. "Potential Ashikabi? From the word's definition, wouldn't she just be an Ashikabi?"

"Yes and no. She has the appropriate genetic ancestry. However, where you and her differ is the fact that you have bonded with a Sekirei, making you an Ashikabi. She has not."

Kelly, cluing on the semantic differences, spoke up. "I think I understand. Kasumi has the potential to form the pair bond, to become a Sekirei's Ashikabi. Their destined one. But since there's only one Sekirei on-board, she just can't reach her full potential."

Kara nodded.

"So why can't she pair with..."

Kelly laughed at Alex's confusion. "Of course she can't do that, Commander. What part of 'destined one' is confusing you? If I understand this concept correctly, a Sekirei can only have one Ashikabi at a time."

Karasuba nodded.

"Then I would imagine that it's the same for the Ashikabi." Alex added, still trying to wrap his head around his current situation.

"No. An Ashikabi may form pair bonds with any number of Sekirei." Karasuba, mentally added, but didn't say out loud, _Even by forcing the Sekirei to accept the pair bond against her will._

"Wow, that means... An Ashikabi can form Sekirei harems?" Kelly tilted her head and looked at Shepard. At the word harem, Karasuba crossed her arms and looked away momentarily.

Alex narrowed his eyes. "What?"

"Commander Shepard, you could have a whole harem of cute aliens all of your very own..."

The remainder of the morning passed uneventfully as the crew went about their routines. Alex and Karasuba spent the remainder of their time on the CIC deck. The former checking in with his XO and other away team members, and the latter performing seemingly random Extranet searches on his private terminal. Periodically, Alex would glance over to see what trouble Kara might be getting into, but she seemed genuinely content to continue learning about the events of the current timeline. Kelly would even make suggestions to the resident Sekirei. Some she would ignore, and others she seemed genuinely interested in pursuing.

"Alex." Shepard turned his attention to Karasuba. "When are we due to arrive at our destination?"

WE'RE DUE TO ARRIVE AT ILLIUM IN ABOUT 45 MINUTES. Joker announced over the intercom.

"Joker. When exactly did you decide to start going by the name Alex?"

WELL, SINCE SHE WAS ASKING A QUESTION I COULD ACTUALLY ANSWER, I FIGURED IT COULDN'T HURT TO BE AN ALEX FOR A MINUTE.

"I Tell you what. Since you want to be me so much, I'll let you lead the next ground mission, and I'll sit back and watch porn all day."

HEY! THAT'S NOT...

"Joker. Lying to your commanding officer is a bad career move."

I WAS GONNA SAY, THAT'S NOT ALL I DO ALL DAY. I USUALLY HAVE TO USE THE MEN'S ROOM ONCE OR TWICE TOO.

"Uh, huh."

...ON THAT NOTE, CAN KARASUBA COME OUT AND PLAY? KARASUBA-KUN?, DO YOU WANT TO VISIT THE BRIDGE? SEE WHAT A REAL MAN DOES ALL DAY?

Alex looked over at Kara, and she nodded. "She's on her way, Joker. I highly suggest you NOT be yourself, unless you actually WANT to lose an appendage or two." Kara stepped away from Alex's terminal, and walked down the walkway to the bridge, her right hand on the hilt of her ever-present sword.

Joker turned his bridge chair around so he could address the alien female directly. "So, Karasuba, what do you think?"

She gazed around the Normandy's bridge. "First, the correct gender suffix is chan, not kun. Second, don't even THINK about call me Karasuba-chan. Third, the consoles look interesting. How do they work?" She set Cold Nights on the floor next to the co-pilot's chair and slipped into the seat.

"OK. No kun or chan, got it." He turned his chair to the main flight console and activated the Normandy's pilot training mode. "Now, let the master instruct you, my beaut..." Karasuba's eyes glinted dangerously. "Bad-ass! I meant bad-ass. Padawan."

Kara nodded, and she spent the rest of journey to Illium learning how to pilot the SSV Normandy SR-II...

Roughly an hour later Joker had the Normandy docked at the closest berth to the Nos Astra Mercantile Exchange.

"Okay Garrus, I need you to meet me in the staging area. As of this moment we're only going in to see Liara and discuss the intel the Illusive Man gave us to pass along. I'm not expecting trouble, but trouble does have a very special way of finding the crew members of the Normandy whether we expect it or not. So let's prepare for any possible contingencies." Alex said into the ship's comms.

GOT IT BOSS. I SHOULD BE UP THERE IN FIVE. GARRUS OUT. TELL YOUR SWORD WIELDING SHADOW I SAID HI.

Alex smirked. "You just did... Kara as much fun as you may be having on the bridge. I need you back in the CIC. Jacob needs to outfit you with some body armor. I don't want to take any unnecessary chances this time."

...UH, COMMANDER. SHE'S ON HER WAY. Joker announced in Kara's stead. ...AND SHE WASN'T SMILING AT ALL WHEN SHE LEFT.

"Thanks for the warning, Joker." Alex watched as Karasuba made her way back to the CIC. _He wasn't kidding when he said she wasn't happy...Great._

Karasuba stepped up to Alex and shook her head. "I believe I mentioned this once before. I don't wear metal clothes."

Alex began leading them out of the CIC toward the weapons room. "Kara, I know you think you're faster than a speeding bullet. And I saw your memories so you probably are. But we don't live in the year 2020 anymore. Modern firearms don't even use regular bullets. The rounds that are fired from guns today are metal shards that travel significantly faster than the old rifles and handguns of the 21st century."

Alex watched as the mental gears in Kara's head turned. After a few moments of contemplation, she responded. "Fine, let's have a test then. I'll wear one of those force field things you gave me to wear while we were on Omega, if you can hit my force field before I get within sword range of you than I will consider wearing one of your ridiculous looking iron suits."

"Okay, challenge accepted." Alex opened a comm channel. "Change of plans, Garrus. Meet us in cargo hold." Alex half-turned to look Kara in the eyes. "Karasuba is going to learn why wearing body armor is a good thing." Karasuba raised an eyebrow in response but said nothing.

UNDERSTOOD. I'LL MEET YOU THERE IN FIVE MINUTES OR LESS.

Word spread quickly around the Normandy, so by the time Alex and Kara made it to the cargo deck, all of the non-critical personnel had already started lining up to watch the latest spectacle. A betting pool, started by Zaeed, had even sprung up among the crowd, with the grizzled ex-merc setting the odds and making book on all the possible outcomes. Shepard was almost afraid to ask what kind of chances he was being given by Massani.

"So, what kind of odds am I getting?" Alex asked as he and Garrus began prepping the deck with the appropriate kinetic shields and absorbers. Since this was very similar to a live-fire exercise all precautions were being met to make sure that no permanent damage was possible.

"Actually, Zaeed is being pretty damn generous in my opinion. She's only getting two to one odds that she's gonna kick your butt. Frankly, I'd probably be giving her five to one minimum.

"Thanks of the vote of confidence. Jack-hole."

Garrus laughed. "I don't even know what that is, but I'm sure that whatever you meant by it, it was well deserved."

Miranda stepped up to Alex, a deep look of concern on her genetically perfect face. "Shepard, is this wise? We've both seen what she can do. The last thing the ship needs right now is to have its commander lying in the med bay right next to the psycho."

"Thank you for your concern, Miranda. But I'm sure I'll be fine. All I need is one shot to end this."

Miranda pondered Shepard's words for a moment, then nodded. "True. And you are one of the best shots I've ever seen. Okay." She turned away from him. "Now where is that old bastard. I need to place a wager..."

_Yeah, so much for your concern for the _Normandy's_ well-being... _Alex shook his head and continued prepping the cargo hold.

Kara for her part had taken to lounging at the far end of the deck. She was working on the shield's calibration. She adjusted the shield's radius to its minimum settings. If she was going to win this she would need to be able to slide in between single rounds. Therefore the settings needed to be set to the bare minimum to keep stray shots from activating the shield. It was risky, but she was supremely confident that this would end in her favor.

One of the crew, in what Kara could only see as a fit of insanity, tried to walk over and talk to her. Remembering Alex's words from breakfast, she bit back the rude comments that would have dripped like acid from her tongue, and settled for a scathing glance that even dimwits would recognize as 'don't even think about it.' He quickly turned and ran away. Much to the amusement of his buddies.

"OK, Kara. Are you ready?"

She activated her kinetic shield and nodded. She stood at the far end of the deck and stretched languidly, eliciting a couple wolf-whistles from the crowd. She ignored them. Her objective, Alex's throat, was over 25 meters away. She closed her eyes and focused on her tama, the true source of her power.

"Kara, on a count of three, I will begin firing. Do not move until you hear three. Is that clear?"

"...Yes..."

"Good... one...two...three."

Karasuba opened her eyes and watched as the mass accelerator rounds slipped one at a time from the barrel of Alex's assault rifle. She sprang forward taking the first two meters in a single long stride. She met the first round and sliced it through its center of mass with the tip of Cold Nights' blade. The two halves of the MA round flew away from their original trajectory harmlessly. She sidestepped the next two, and sliced the fourth and fifth from the air. Once the sixth and seventh had passed her, she had already crossed the first 12 meters.

Alex watched semi-stunned as Kara put on a clinic. The 'I'm faster than anything else you've ever seen' clinic, that is. He continued to fire 3-round bursts desperately trying to put an MA round anywhere near her, but her body could stop and redirect itself almost instantaneously, with, what appeared to be, little to no conscious control.

His own uncanny ability to lead a target was proving to be worthless, as she was moving so fast after-images were making it appear that she was in two or even three place at once. Before he had even fired the first trio of bursts, she had already crossed half the distance required to end the demonstration. _Well, if controlled bursts don't do the trick there's always 'spray and pray.'_ He shifted his assault rifle to full-auto as fast as he could and begin blanketing the area in front of him with steel pellets.

Kara smirked as she watched Shepard flip a switch on the rifle. _G__oing to fully automatic? Wrong move, my Ashikabi. _She leaped behind a crate momentarily as MA rounds began bouncing off every vertical surface in the cargo deck. She waited only a fraction of a second then she bunched her legs and poured more of her power into them. She leaped 10 meters straight up. Kara then twisted in mid-air and 'landed' on the ceiling. She smiled at Alex for a fraction of a second as she shifted the sword in her hands. This was to be the end of this match one outcome or another.

Alex watched as the ridiculous woman in front of him seemed to defy all laws of gravity as she she stood on the ceiling. _Just to mock me, no doubt. _He shifted his stance to begin firing at the ceiling, but a nagging voice in the back of his head told him it would be too little too late. He watched as she pushed off from the ceiling in a completely different direction than what he expected and stamped down on the glass wall above and behind him. She pushed off once more and slammed into his torso with her shoulder just as he tried to twist around to strafe in her direction. She stood over him, her sword tip held to his throat as she smiled victoriously. "Thus ends the lesson, my Ashikabi..."

The crew began filtering back to their duty stations as Garrus, Alex and Kara headed back to the CIC. Several of them, including Massani wore unapologetic grins on their faces. "Good work, my darling." The gruff ex-merc announced as he passed Kara. "I knew you'd come through for me." Zaeed gave Kara a toothy grin. "Shepard. You gotta keeper on your hands." Massani laughed as he made his way to his side of the cargo deck.

Kara said nothing, but Alex could feel the smug radiating off of her in waves. He sighed.

"So Shepard, we actually going to see Liara or are you gonna come up with some other scheme that'll end up costing me money."

Alex looked sidelong at the Turian sniper. "You actually bet on me."

"Foolishly, I believed you when you said you only needed one shot. You fired 128 by the way."

Karasuba walked ahead of the two males and entered the elevator first. The two males entered a moment behind.

"128 rounds." Shepard eyed the smirk on Kara's face. "That's... impressive."

The rest of the trip to the CIC and the ship's exit went quickly. The three Normandy crew members exited the berth Alex in the lead. Their destination was the Illium trading floor and Liara's office above it. He still found it difficult to wrap his head around the idea that she was now an information broker. She had changed so much since that fateful mission above Alchera.

Kara, on Shepard's right, gazed forward but her eyes missed little as they weaved around the trading kiosks. She was not without knowledge of those who bought and sold the commodities of the day. MBI was, after all, more than just a med-tech company. It had been a global economy in it's own right. The trading floor of the MBI building was one of many that were active 24 hours a day. She took note of the various conversations that were taking place around the numerous kiosks, but said nothing.

Garrus, on Alex's left watched Kara from the corner of his eye. He relaxed somewhat when he realized that the alien female was not going to go crazy and start "hacking people to pieces just make sure her sword was still sharp." _That's the last time I take Joker's mission advice seriously._ He did, however, continue to maintain a watchful eye on the ashen-haired woman, but aside from a few annoyed glances in his direction nothing else seemed to cause any reaction at all. He mentally sighed, but said nothing as the trio came to the stairs that inevitably led to their final destination.

The trek to Liara's office had lasted only a few moments, and Alex was still uncertain about his newest crew member's understanding of his relationship to Liara. Subconsciously he knew he would have to step lightly to avoid any unnecessary confrontations. Now as the trio waited to be allowed in, Alex noted a slight tension in his Sekirei companion. She had begun to lightly finger Cold Nights' hilt, a nervous gesture if he ever saw one. The brief discussion the two had had earlier that day had answered very few of his questions regarding his ancestry, and her silence now was just as frustrating.

A moment was all he was given to ponder things as the door slid open and Liara stepped quickly up to him, only to be violently pushed backwards as Kara, her scabbarded sword held in her hands, now stood directly between the two former lovers. The motion had been so swift that Garrus found himself looking back and forth between her current and previous positions and he shook his head.

Liara picked herself up from the floor of her office and glared at her attacker as her biotic corona flared into existence.

"Kara! What the hell are you doing?!"

"She's one of those Asari. I was unsure of her intent and therefore assumed she was moving to attack you."

"That particular excuse of yours is beginning to wear very thin..." Alex turned back to Liara. "I apologize for my crew member's actions. She can be overzealous at times."

Kara looked away but said nothing.

Liara nodded solemnly and let her corona subside. "I understand... I received your message regarding your wanting to have another meeting. If this has anything to do with the Collectors and your mission, my earlier sentiment still stands. Until the Shadow Broker has been eliminated, I really can't divert my attention to anything else..."

"I understand that, Liara. That is why... Is this office secure?"

Liara nodded. "I sweep for surveillance devices on a daily basis. We are as secure as anyone can expect to be on Illium."

"Good. Because I have some information that I think you're gonna want to see..." Alex activated the data slate in his hand and stepped next to Liara so that the two of them could look at it together. He neglected to see Karasuba's eyes narrow even more at the gesture of familiarity. Garrus, however, didn't.

"Shepard. Who gave you this intel?!" Liara's expression went from angry to excited within seconds of reading the provided intelligence.

"The Illusive man. He assured me that it was genuine and reliable. And yes, I understand the implications, Liara." He looked into Liara's ocean blue eyes. _Gods, she's so very beautiful. Maybe there's still a... _Suddenly he felt a terrible chill down his spine, and instinctively turned to the source. Kara only had a bland smile on her face. Alex found the smile to be the most discomfiting expression he had ever seen. On anyone.

Liara continued on, her excitement making her oblivious to the unspoken exchange between Alex and Karasuba. "This is so much more than I could have hoped for, Shepard. I have to... I have to contact someone. An informant that I've been working with for the past year."

"That's fine. Let's have dinner tonight. We can discuss the specifics then. Decide on our next course of action"

"Very well, Shep... Alex, I'd like that." She gave him a gentle smile. "I will contact you once I am ready to meet with you again." Liara turned and walked quickly back to her desk. Alex, recognizing that his time with Liara was at an end, motioned for his team to exit. Kara watched the two interact with thinly veiled jealousy. She turned and led the trio out of the office.

The trek back to the Normandy was spent in complete silence as it seemed that both Kara and Alex were absorbed in their respective mental monologues. Karasuba, for her part, was content to maintain the lead, not sparing a single glance to either of her companions. Alex, was adrift in a mental storm of sorts. Liara, had shown that there might still be something between them, which had been a lot more than she had demonstrated in their previous meeting. But the words 'destined one' kept creeping back into his thoughts. Kara's back held little in the way of answers to his current dilemma. He found himself following said female's curves from top to bottom with his eyes. Memories of her nude body flooded back to the fore. _Gods, but she does a beautiful body... _He really couldn't argue that the two of them had some definite sexual attraction, but life is always so much more complicated than it has any right to be.

Time seemed to pass interminably slowly as Alex waited to hear back from Liara.

COMMANDER, THIS JUST POPPED UP OVER THE NOS ASTRA POLICE FREQUENCIES. i THOUGHT YOU MIGHT WANNA HEAR IT.

"Go ahead and play it, Joker."

...YES CAPTAIN. I REPEAT, THERE ARE REPORTS OF SHOTS BEING FIRED. IT SEEMS FROM PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATION THAT ONE OF THE PENTHOUSE SUITES IN THE NOS ASTRA TRADE CENTER BUILDING HAS TAKEN WHAT SOUNDS LIKE SNIPER FIRE. YES, WE ARE ON ROUTE NOW. THE OCCUPANT SEEMS TO BE ONE LIARA T'SONI, A PROMINENT EXCHANGE BROKER. IT IS UNCERTAIN AT THIS TIME IF THERE ARE ANY CASUALTIES. I WILL UPDATE AS SOON AS I HAVE ARRIVED AND BEGUN A FORMAL INVESTIGATION.

"Joker, EDI, get me an address and a rental. I wanna be at Liara's penthouse ASAP. Is that clear?

YES, SHEPARD... LOGGING YOU OUT...

AYE, AYE COMMANDER...

"Garrus, Karasuba meet me at the bridge and bring your gear. We got trouble...

The penthouse suite of the Nos Astra Trade Center was a tall building, but not the tallest. Tela Vasir, Asari Spectre, noted as she gazed out of the window. The bullets had impacted with lethal force, but the kinetic shields had done their job. The sniper rounds had cracked the window but not broken it. _Where did you escape to, pure-blood._

Alex stepped up to the open doorway and looked around the living area. An electronic cordon prevented him and his squad from entering the room. Vasir noted the three newcomers and narrowed her eyes. "Commander Shepard, what brings you to my crime scene?" She turned to the three other law enforcement officers in the room. "I'm taking over this investigation. This is now Spectre business. You can see your way out."

"You can't do..."

"I just did." She turned back to Shepard. "I heard through the Council grapevine that they reinstated you. Where the hells have you been for the last two years?"

"Long story."

Karasuba turned and looked at her companions quizzically. Garrus whispered in her ear. "I'll bring you up to speed at chow tonight." She nodded slightly and followed Alex into the suite.

Kara left the bulk of the investigation to Alex, and did some poking around of her own. She was more interested in learning about her rival for Shepard's attention. She eyed the degrees hanging on Liara's ego wall. Several undergrad and graduate diplomas from what Karasuba could only assume was from top-notch schools. The living and dining areas were immaculate. She slipped up the stairs while the others were focused on finding whatever Liara had hidden for Alex.

She sat on the bed and images of Alex and Liara came unbidden to her mind. She pictured the two them naked and coiled together as they made love. The vision did little to calm the seething jealousy that swam just below the surface of her conscious thought. In her imagination, Liara moaned out her satisfaction as Shepard thrust strongly into her. She shook the envious thoughts from her mind and slipped back downstairs.

"There you are. I was just about to start calling for you. Spectre Vasir and I have the intel we need to continue this investigation elsewhere."

Alex replayed a recorded conversation for Kara's benefit. It appeared to be a vid call from a Salarian who went by the name of Sekat. Apparently, from what Kara could understand of the conversation, this Sekat was doing some data mining for the Asari woman Alex still held a torch for. As she had heard it described on earth. The four made their way to Vasir's skycar and Karasuba found herself flying through the Nos Astra dusk in her first flying car. She peered around her at the traffic that seemed to spontaneously make a large highway in the sky.

Only a few minutes of travel were required before the car landed in the parking zone for the Dracon Trade Tower. Alex, Karasuba, and Garrus stepped out of the Spectre's vehicle just in time to watch the edifice of the commercial structure in front of them explode outward in a pyroclastic cloud of burning plas-crete and syn-glas fragments.

Alex moved toward the wounded in front of the building with a purpose, Even as he nodded his agreement to the Spectre's idea of coming from both the top and bottom of the building simultaneously. He checked the unconscious for signs of life and silently mourned the few that were no longer among the living. "Kara, you and Garrus be prepared for anything. I want this by the book and by the numbers."

Each of his subordinates nodded in the affirmative. "Garrus, you're my sniper, I'll be the spotter. Kara..." He watched as Karasuba slowly and reverently removed the demonic weapon from its sheath and then turned to regard him. "You've got point. Show me what you can do. But no collateral damage... Is that understood?"

"... Yes, I understand. No, innocents." The black Sekirei, acted as if the last word she said was something of a joke, but turned her eyes down at Alex's piercing gaze. She shifted her blade to a relaxed ready position and the three commenced their search of the Dracon Tower. Each floor brought questions as Alex and Garrus investigated every possible crevice for evidence of Liara's fate. As the trio moved from floor to floor it was becoming more apparent that Liara's contact had indeed been the central target.

Garrus, tiring of the silence, finally broke it with a question. "So, Kara..."

"Karasuba."

"Sorry. Karasuba. Have you been in many firefights before?"

Kara turned back to look in his direction. "A few."

"... I see."

"Where are you going with this, Garrus?" Shepard asked as he too turned to regard the Turian sniper.

"Well, this is obviously the work of some merc outfit. Eclipse most likely. I'm just trying to get a handle on how well Ms. Hot Pants over here is gonna fare. I mean she has no armor. I still can't believe you fell for that, by the way. And she's brought a knife, admittedly a very long knife, to a gunfight. A gunfight with will also, in all likelihood, have rockets and grenades flying around as well."

Alex only stared at his best friend while he continued his spiel.

"Eclipse always comes packing the heat. I really don't wanna have to fight my out of this building carrying her and most likely you on my back."

Shepard only raised an eyebrow at the very thinly veiled taunt.

Kara sighed and gave him a slit-eyed smile. "You needn't worry about me. I've been in few firefights because I slaughter my enemy before they can even put fingers to triggers... Care for a demonstration." Her smile widened slightly.

Garrus chuckled nervously. "No need... I think I saw enough of your butter knife back on your ship."

"Hmm.. It can certainly turn you into a thin smooth paste..."

"All right people enough chatter." Alex interrupted. "We do have a friend to find, remember."

Garrus looked away sheepishly and Kara turned back to her duty on point. Alex shook his head. _Trust Garrus to break the tension with... whatever the hell pops in his head. _

The squad continued forward through the next automated door and was immediately met with a hail of MA rounds that pinged off kinetic shields and Kara's demonic blade. Alex and Garrus scattered to the closest cover and peered over the walkway railing. The Eclipse mercs had massed around the door at the far end of the corridor. Kara was still standing in a relaxed position in the middle of the walkway.

Alex and Garrus watched the scene as Cold Nights blurred around her slicing each accelerator round as they came within harming distance of its mistress. The pellet fragments bounced around her like a swirling cloud of microscopic shrapnel. Kara waited for only a moment before she dashed forward faster than the mercenaries could track. The mercs could only watch helplessly as three enemy heads were separated from their bodies in a single swing of her two meter long straight razor.

The remaining five Eclipse soldiers hastily scattered to try to remove themselves from within the distance of Kara's sword length. For two of them their efforts prove to be in vain. One quick thrust of Cold Nights and both are impaled through their backs. Blood and spinal fluids spilled over the thirsty blade as she whipped the blade back out of their bodies, shredding their lungs and other chest organs irreparably in the process.

Garrus, ever the opportunist, scored two head shots in quick succession, and the last Eclipse grunt was dropped in a hail of accelerator rounds from Alex's assault rifle. Kara waited silently for her Ashikabi, and his annoying friend to reach her at the far end of the corridor.

"Damnit, Kara. At least give me a warning the next time you plan on standing still in the middle of gun fire." Alex fumed as he stepped up to activate the holo-lock on the door.

"I wasn't sure you even..." Kara muttered under breath.

Alex looked at her. "What was that?"

"Nothing..." Kara turned without another word and walked into the next corridor.

Alex sighed and looked over to Garrus, who shrugged as if saying, 'I'm glad I'm not you right now.' Garrus followed behind Alex as the two continued on the mission. The two males followed after her into the Baria Frontiers office and once again came under immediate gunfire. The three slipped into cover behind a syn-glas wall and verified that the potential body count added up to twelve Eclipse grunts with a couple rocket troopers in tow.

"See. Knife. Gunfight." Garrus reiterated between barks of his sniper rifle.

Kara looked at him for a moment then smiled viciously once more. She moved forward with superhuman speed and sliced two oncoming rockets in half as if they were simply hanging motionless in mid-air. The explosive tips veered off wildly in opposing directions due to the sudden loss of their stabilizing fins. She continued forward without losing a single ounce of momentum, and was behind enemy lines before the enemy even knew what to do about it. Her grin widened as she skewered the first rocket trooper in the chest, destroying his heart and severing his spine. She pulled the demonic blade upward in a diagonal stroke. The sword exited from the unfortunate mercenary's body just below his shoulder. It sliced through bone, muscle, internal organs and hardened battle armor as easily as a knife through so much softened butter.

The tip of Cold Nights' blade continued unimpeded through a wide arc that caught the dead merc's stunned counterpart in the throat almost completely severing his neck. A bright red cascade of arterial blood poured from the newly sundered blood vessels in a mad rush, urged upward by the last pulses of the dead man's still beating heart. She moved past the two victims without a second glance.

"Spirits! That woman is absolutely terrifying Shepard... Glad she's on our side." Garrus shook his head and went back to giving the Eclipse troops something else to worry about.

Alex peppered the enemy location with machine gun fire, and watched as Kara continued her killing spree. For a split second, her smile echoed the grim reaper's. _Christ_._ To think I share half my genetic ancestry with someone like that._ He returned to the work at hand and within a handful of minutes the floor of the Baria Frontiers was littered yellow armored corpses.

Alex activated the door and found still more mercenaries awaiting their entry; though he was beginning to notice the demoralizing effect that Karasuba and her sword was having on the Eclipse mercs. With each flash of the blood soaked blade bodies fell like lifeless marionettes. Their mortal coils cut away like strings from the puppeteer's control bar. He and Garrus began finding it harder and harder to find decent targets. Kara, always at the front of the squad had already amassed more kills than the other two combined. And she only seemed to be getting stronger with each passing minute. Up ahead the trio found the last remaining door to the Baria Frontiers main office.

As Shepard approached what he hoped was the last of the obstacle to the Baria Frontier's inner sanctum and Liara, Kara made a motion that he instantly recognized as quiet. She moved in absolute silence and listened at the door. She looked back at Alex and held up three fingers. _She can hear through a steel reinforced door, ...damn she's good..._Alex nodded his understanding of her sign language.

Karasuba listened for a moment longer before a gunshot rang out from the other side of the reinforced door. The first shot was followed quickly by a second more muffled shot, as if the gun had been fired at very close range to its intended target. Alex worked furiously to open the door's electronic lock. The door slid open just as the second of two dead bodies hit to the floor. Vasir, predator pistol in hand, stood over the dead merc, and watched Alex and his squad enter the room.

"If only I had been a few minutes faster, I probably could have saved..."

"Except you were in the room for almost a full minute before the first shot was fired." Karasuba countered smoothly.

Alex smirked at Kara's rebuttal. "It would seem that you have some explaining to do. Spectre Vasir."

"I have no idea what's she talking about. I stepped in from the other room just a moment ago, and shot this Shadow Broker agent. Nothing more, nothing less. Speaking of less, did you happen to find your friend? Or rather what was left of her..."

"She's right here Vasir and she's very much alive and in one piece." Liara stepped out of the shadows, a machine pistol in her hand. Her armor a little charred but otherwise undamaged. "She's the one that tried to kill me, Shepard."

"I have no clue what any of you people are talking about. I was called in to..."

"I beg to differ, Vasir. I doubled back after my escape and you were the one I saw leaving the building where the sniper shots came from. She's works for the Shadow Broker, Shepard. Probably one of his top agents."

"You can't prove a thing, T'Soni."

"Yes, I can." Liara moved in front of the rest of the group. "Sekat had a data disk that I came here to retrieve. It reveals the location of the Shadow Broker's whereabouts." She turned back to Alex. "If you search her I'm sure you'll find it."

"You are a smart one, aren't you." Tela smirked as she pulled the disk from behind her back as she began to activate her biotics with the other. "You want this disk? You'll have to pull it from my dead hands, you pure-blood bitch!"

Vasir activated a biotic blast that blew out the window behind her, shards of syn-glas flying in all directions. She leaped backwards as Liara, blocked machine pistol fire with a biotic shield of her own. Both Kara and Alex moved forward following Vasir out of the window. Liara followed behind the Sekirei and her Ashikabi, ready to do whatever it took to get the disk back from the renegade Spectre.

"Vasir! It's over! Give us the disk!" Shepard exclaimed as he and Kara's descents were slowed by Vasir's biotic field. Kara said nothing as she continued to block accelerator rounds with her sword. A biotic blast from the Asari Spectre and the two were blown back upward allowing Vasir to put some distance between her and Shepard. She landed on her feet and immediately snap charged away from the falling group. Kara landed second and caught Shepard as he fell the last few meters. Liara landed a fraction of a second later and continued to chase after the Asari without a backward glance. Alex gave Karasuba an annoyed look.

"Kara, in the future, if you feel the need to catch me, don't. It's just embarrassing."

Karasuba sighed and dropped the first and only human Spectre on his ass. "Objection noted. Shall we continue after our target, or stand here discussing your fragile ego?"

Garrus landed in a crouch beside his squad-mates and watched amused as Alex got up off the ground. "What happened Shepard? It would seem your cat-like reflexes aren't quite as cat-like as I remember."

"Shut up. Come on let's get going before Liara gets herself killed." The two nodded and began to follow the renegade Asari commando and the good archaeologist back through the lower floors of the Trade Center. Karasuba resumed her body count, her sword a scythe cutting through the Shadow Broker agents like stalks of wheat in a gruesome harvest.

At last the trio came to the main lobby, the bodies of the innocent bombing victims were still lying where they had fallen. The room was quickly inundated with mercenaries looking to follow their boss's orders to the bitter end. They massed in various areas close to the lobby's exit. Many of them had hunkered down behind cover. Others stood and sprayed the entrance with assault rifle fire in an effort to take out the human Spectre and his squad.

Shepard, Karasuba, and Garrus moved quickly through the oncoming enemy fire, the two in armor taking shots to their kinetic barriers as they found cover of their own. Kara slipped between some of the rounds and cut others out of the air. She assumed her previous squad position and used her vantage point to gauge the threat levels of each of the disparate groups of enemies that littered the main lobby.

She watched as several groups of the Shadow Broker's men hunkered down hoping to counter her usual blitz tactics. She also noted with a raised brow the killing floor they were trying to create in the middle of the room. _No, direct assault. The separate clusters will simply fill the center of the room with weapons fire as I try to close in on any one group._ Alex came to the same conclusion as well, but Kara began moving before he could say anything.

She made sure to stay grounded as she moved as quickly as she could forward toward the center of the room. As she predicted the five different clusters began firing into the center, hoping that the overwhelming force would knock her out of the action. It almost worked. Almost. Her kinetic shield took several rounds as she made a ninety-degree turn and met the closest group head-on. The other groups strafed in her direction, and she smiled as a couple mercs went down hard, shot in the back of the head by their own comrades. The rest died from decapitation.

Alex and Garrus fired on the other clusters to make them duck for cover, as Kara went about her grisly work. The Turian was dropping a merc with each blast of his sniper rifle, and was garnering an impressive head count of his own. Shepard for the first time in his recent memory was spending more time spotting targets then actually taking them out.

Karasuba, slipped down into the first group's cover and reassessed her situation. More Shadow Broker agents were coming in from the door at the far end of the room. _Our exit... _She pointed to the door, and then held up three fingers. Alex nodded. She counted up to three and then leapt over her cover, only to shift directions again. The mercs, thinking she was heading for the door, were caught completely by surprise as she instead slaughtered the closest cluster she could put to the sword. Alex and Garrus shared a look and shook their heads at her deviousness.

The last three groups began showing signs of breaking ranks. Their kill box had already been partially dismantled, with only dead Eclipse mercs to show for it. Kara, covered in both human and alien blood, now looked more like a grisly Jackson Pollack painting than a normal combatant. And Garrus and Alex were taking out targets of opportunity two at time. They began firing more and more desperately, just hoping something would save them from the monster in front of them. The group closest to Kara began sweating bullets as she watched them through slitted lids, a smile firmly planted on her lips.

Then above the din of the rockets and assault rifle fire came a solitary keening note. It was a sound that Alex was quite familiar with. It was a song of demons. Cold Nights was making its bloodthirsty desires known to one and all. Kara's grin widened. _Sing to me... Recite for me death's cold lullaby..._

"Spirits, Shepard! What the hell is that noise?!" Garrus asked as he tried his best to remain calm in the face of Cold Night's icy lamentations.

"It's Kara's sword. It's... singing to her." Alex too looked extremely discomfited by the demonic serenade.

"By the spirits! That sword?! You're telling me that sword is singing?!"

"...Yes." Alex paused then added. "I don't think it's just a sword. I think it may actually be some kind of demonic entity."

"What the... And you let it on-board the Normandy?!"

"She seems to be able to control it, somehow. I'm not exactly sure how, but it... he listens to her." Alex shrugged at Garrus's look of horrified anger.

"You're a hell of a lot crazier than even I thought you were."

As the two males conversed, Kara returned to the task of mopping up the last of the resistance. Upon hearing the sword calling for their blood, the Shadow Broker agents broke ranks and either fled in terror or lost all self-control and began firing blindly. Neither option saved them. The last of the opposition died as his upper and lower halves fell to the floor in two different places. The sword's chilling song ended as abruptly as it had begun.

Alex and his squad continued out of the building in time to see Liara ducked behind a skycar and taking machine pistol fire from the rogue Spectre. Periodically the Asari information broker would return fire with her own pistol, before ducking back into cover. Alex and Garrus added their own rifle fire to that of Liara's pistol and Vasir immediately recognized that it was time to make a run for it.

The Asari Spectre turned and headed back to toward the edge of the parking lot. Karasuba began running after her, dodging machine pistol fire every meter of the way. She almost made it to the older alien female just as she leaped onto the roof of her own vehicle. She contemplated doing the same, but decided against it as she didn't want to leave her Ashikabi alone.

Liara grabbed the nearest rental she could get her hands on. "Shepard, hurry up she's getting away!" She slipped into the passenger seat as Alex grabbed the driver's seat. "We're fine by the way, thanks for asking." Alex snarked as he flipped off the auto-pilot. Garrus slipped into the back seat only to feel a slender hand grasp his suit's collar and jerk him bodily back out of the car.

"I didn't wanna go anyway." Garrus said as he found himself on his butt watching the skycar fly away in hot pursuit of Vasir and the data disk. He dusted himself off and found a rental car of his own.

To be continued...

AN: So this is the beginning of the Shadow Broker arc I mentioned in chapter 4. I hope the action is satisfactory and the grammar acceptable. This chapter turned out to be quite a bit longer than I had anticipated, but Kara just wouldn't be denied. The next chapter should complete the Illium portion of LotSB. Again don't be shy, if you loved it or hated it let me know.

Until next time,

Piper out


	6. A Crow Tangles With A SPECTRE Pt 2

The Lion & The Crow

Chapter 6: A Crow Tangles with a SPECTRE II

Alex took it upon himself to introduce the two female passengers. "Kara, meet Dr. Liara T'Soni. Liara, this is Karasuba. Now. Watch and learn, ladies." Alex hit the taxi's accelerator and the chase was on in earnest. The sky-car weaved in, under, over and around the general flow of traffic jockeying for a position in the numerous lanes of traffic. Alex did his best to keep one eye on the vehicles around him and the other on the rabbiting Spectre. Liara was proving herself to be quite the passenger seat driver, as her uncertainty in his driving skills became more evident with each passing comment.

"Watch out for that slow moving vehicle!"

"I see it, Liara." Alex swerved above the offending slow-poke and re-oriented the vehicle as Vasir did her best to bob in and around the slower moving vehicles. He growled silently and plunged back into the fray.

"I'm actually quite surprised at your ability to handle this vehicle... Given my past experiences with you and the Mako."

"Very funny." He twisted around a large freight car and slipped below it. Shepard hoped that his momentary disappearing act would keep Vasir on her toes. He accelerated into and through a tight turn and was once more on the Spectre's tail.

Kara fumed silently as she listened to the chatter from the two in the front seats. The dialogue was beginning to remind her painfully of nails etching long grooves in a chalkboard. Finally tiring of the incessant chatter on the Asari maiden's part, she spoke up. "T'soni-san, can I make a suggestion?" Not waiting for a response, she continued. "If you'd remain quiet, my Ashikabi would be able to keep more of his focus on our prey."

Piercing blue eyes warred with flinty red as the two alien females fought a mental battle of supremacy. After several tense moments, Liara relented and reluctantly nodded. Karasuba gave the Asari maiden a smug grin. _And you actually believe you're my Ashikabi's equal._

Alex scowled at Karasuba for an instant. "Ladies, would you kindly try to get along. I've got enough to deal with, as it is."

"Of course, Shep... Proximity mines!"

"Yeah, I see 'em. Hold onto your seats!" Alex nosed down sharply into a near vertical drop to dodge the first floating mine. He pulled up on the yoke and gave the next two a wide berth. Seeing an opportunity to close the distance once more, he slammed the accelerator and cut off the corner and several large freighters at the same time. He continued dodging both traffic and mines as needed to keep the taxi in one piece. Another burst of speed from their target, and Vasir had widened the span once again.

"Damnit. What kind of weapons does this thing have?" Alex asked as he eyed the sky-car's instrument panel for a moment.

"Shepard, this is a taxi... It has a fare meter."

"...Right." Alex slowly but steadily closed the distance between them and their quarry as the two vehicles made quick detours first through a building's construction zone, then between and through several more buildings. The oncoming rush-hour traffic was becoming more difficult to dodge. Alex surmised that they must have entered a large shipping lane... from the entirely WRONG direction. A fairly reasonable assumption based on the number of freighters he was now inadvertently playing chicken with. The underbelly of the taxi scraped lightly along the top of a particularly close freighter.

"Alex, the cargo trucks are quite large and slow. Why is it that you're having so much trouble not hitting them?" Karasuba asked, her tone drenched in sarcasm.

"Shut up. I got it under control."

"Karasuba-san, can I make a suggestion? If you'd remain quiet, Shepard would be able to keep more of his focus..."

Gruesome images of Liara twisting on the end of Cold Nights' blade flashed quickly through Kara's mind. "Noted." She bit back a growl as she sat back in her seat.

"OK, both of you, seriously, stop using my name like a giant bioti-ball of spite you can smash into each other's... Damn, she's just ahead!" Shepard hit the accelerator; swept under a clump of slow moving traffic; and slid next to the escaping Spectre. "Hold onto something!" Alex swerved the car into Vasir's, damaging the side and causing alarm klaxons to sound inside the passenger compartment. "Can somebody shut off that damn collision alarm. Liara reached for the alarm switch, but Karasuba and her sword were that much faster.

"Just thought I'd assist." Karasuba a wolfish grin appeared momentarily. "The noise was quite irritating." Liara narrowed her eyes. The sword had come within a fraction of an inch of slicing off a finger.

"I see. Perhaps a warning next time."

"Oh, don't worry. Next time I'll make sure you have plenty of warning." Karasuba said with a thin-lidded smile. "Not that it would save you." She muttered under her breath. Liara heard it.

"Did I do something to offend you, somehow?

"I said knock it off! Both of you... If you can't be civil then just stop talking to each other!" Alex quickly adjusted to a heavy bump from Vasir, and responded in kind. He dodged a second attempt by the rogue Spectre, and slipped under the belly of Vasir's sky-car. He pulled back on the yoke and rammed the nose of his taxi into the small thermal exhaust port located just behind the passenger seat. He smiled as the exhaust port collapsed into the vehicle. Not more than a few moments later, the tell-tale signs of an over-heating eezo core became apparent. He swerved around the Asari Spectre's car again and plowed into the side just behind the driver. He watched with some satisfaction as the car went into a tail-spin.

Vasir, seeing no way to escape her car without crashing, chose the closest flat surface she could put down on. _The Azure Hotel... Just my luck... Nice restaurant though... It has potential..._ She pulled out of her spinning dive just in time to plow nose first into one of the Azure's large penthouse gardens. She kicked open the driver side door, got out, and reached back to grab both her shotgun and machine pistol. As she popped fresh thermal-clips into her sidearms, Vasir called the Shadow Broker for some much needed backup.

AGENT VASIR, HOW MANY OF MY AGENTS DO YOU REQUIRE TO FACILITATE A SUCCESSFUL WITHDRAWAL?

"Oh, I don't know. How 'bout all of 'em?!" Vasir searched for the closest exit from the garden.

DONE.

She quickly hacked the holo-lock on the closest penthouse door and only paused a moment to get her bearings before turning inside...

The Shepard trio landed with some difficulty next to Vasir's crashed sky-car. As the roof of the taxi opened, it immediately began taking automatic weapons fire from another vehicle hovering nearby. A sky-truck with an open cargo compartment filled to the brim with Shadow Broker Agents, began firing at them indiscriminately. All of enemy mercs were doing their best to bag the first human Spectre, his sword wielding associate, and the Asari who has quickly proven herself to be a thorn in the Shadow Broker's ass. Alex pulled his Viper from the mount point behind his left shoulder and fired three rounds in quick succession. Three bodies fell from the back of the truck. Liara smiled at Alex's success. Karasuba smirked also. _Now THAT is my Ashikabi's power._

"OK, people, scatter and find some cover. I've got a bad feeling this group is just the first of many." Alex motioned for the two females to move to two separate spots behind the walled vegetation. Assault rifle fire tore through the plants creating small green clouds of floating vegetable matter. Kara quickly tiring of peering through shrubs decided a trim was in order. Taking Cold Nights in her right hand she swept across the top of the large plas-crete planter and chopped off the offending plants just above their roots. She peered over the planter and watched several more open-backed trucks fly into provide support for their retreating ally.

Alex and Liara hunkered down, weapons in hand, keeping their heads behind cover as enemy accelerator rounds pinged noisily off the plas-crete planters around them. "Liara, can you warp that incoming truck. Let's see if we can lighten its load a little." Liara nodded and tossed a singularity into the midst of the standing mercenaries. The majority of them were caught in the highly concentrated gravity field. Alex smiled grimly and fired two sniper rounds through the syn-glas of the truck's cockpit. The rounds splattered chunks of bone and brain matter throughout the driver's compartment, and the truck, now driver-less, began to descend below the edge of the roof. As the singularity dimmed and died, the mercs caught in the artificial gravity well followed the truck down a few moments later.

Kara, nodding at Shepard's success, turned and found a suitable target of her own. She watched as one of the trucks successfully touched down on the roof close to her position. Not giving it a moment's rest, she made her move. Kara leaped over the planter and landed on a low hanging section of roof. She immediately twisted and jumped again. This time she landed directly in the middle of the crowd of mercs. The surprised agents had no time to adjust. The vehicle's rear compartment soon resembled a gory, sapien-sized blender as Kara, her sword in both hands, spun in place. Body parts and blood flew outward in all directions drenching the truck in a wide assortment of human and alien viscera and vital fluids. Liara, who had initially watched Kara's aerial acrobatics with no small amount of awe, turned away from the grisly scene, nauseated and rapidly turning a peculiar shade of aquamarine. Alex could only shake his head.

Alex and Liara, her stomach once more under control, continued to tag-team the enemy mercs using various combinations of biotics, tech and mass accelerator rounds to thin the herd. Karasuba, using her agility to devastating effect, slipped quickly around, and over both the stationary obstacles and Shadow Broker agents alike often tricking them into either shooting each other as she weaved between enemy fire or cut into bloody chunks by Cold Nights in fast, efficient sweeps of the bloodthirsty blade. On several occasions during the encounter, Karasuba even used the mere threat of an attack to flush enemy agents out of cover. Those quick enough to jump away from the blade's reach often find themselves in Shepard's scope. They didn't live long enough to rethink their reaction.

Liara watched Karasuba during much of the firefight with a mixture of awe, wonder and fear. She had, on many occasions, fought along side one of the galaxy's most fearsome warriors, Alex Shepard, and yet Kara's displays of combat prowess and ruthless battlefield efficiency were stunning to behold. The information broker in her, however, coolly cataloged the relevant combat data for further analysis. Liara continued to support Alex's efforts and eventually the three of them reduced a veritable army of over four dozen armed and trained mercenaries to nothing more than large randomly arranged clumps of corpses on the roof and disparate Eclipse bodies scattered haphazardly around the building's base.

For Vasir, the distraction the slaughtered mercs provided didn't last nearly long enough to secure any kind of exit from her current predicament. She was getting a bit desperate now. And angry. The section of roof that she'd had the misfortune of 'landing' on wasn't near any available parking or vehicle storage of any kind. The rooftop's parking lot, it seemed, was on the other side of the restaurant. She moved as quickly as she could through several of the hotel's penthouse suites looking for something, anything, that would help her escape her current situation. She made sure, one way or another, that any guests she passed during her escape didn't stay in her way for very long...

Alex quickly rounded up his makeshift squad and followed closely behind their quarry. Karasuba quickly grabbed point and they began making up time as they followed the trail of scared, injured, or dead hotel guests left behind by the rogue Spectre. The trio passed through another suite and Alex stopped as he suddenly realized what was playing on the video wall of the bedroom they were now standing in. "Liara, where are we?"

"The Azure Hotel. It's an upscale hotel and resort that caters to clientele looking for more than just a bed and a free breakfast."

"I see... Why is it called the Azure?"

"It's a term used to describe a part of the Asari..."

Karasuba tuned out the rest of the discussion. She had already learned all she needed to know about the place from observing the hotel's guests in their various stages of dress, or rather, undress. She bent down and retrieved a towel from the floor. She wiped her blade clean of the rapidly coagulating blood. She wanted to find that lying Spectre, and put a short, bloody exclamation mark on the end of her existence. "Is it possible for the two of you to discuss this later? The Asari woman is still actively trying to evade us, remember?" She turned and exited the hotel suite without waiting for an answer.

Alex and Liara followed quickly after her. The trio soon found themselves in the vicinity of the Azure Restaurant. Several patrons were dining in the open air seating the restaurant provided near its main entrance. Vasir looked around, noticed Shepard and his brothel, and sighed. She needed yet another distraction.

_Damn! These fucking mercs are even more incompetent then I gave them credit for. Well, at least I'll sleep well knowing the idiots are all dead now._ "Shepard!" Vasir called out to her pursuers. Recognizing an opportunity to put an obstacle between her and Shepard's team, she flash-charged one of the few patio diners and grabbed her by the neck. She pressed the muzzle of her machine pistol against the captive woman's temple. "I suggest you don't come any closer. And keep that vicious psycho you have there on a tight leash. My trigger finger gets a little twitchy when I'm nervous, and your rabid attack dog is making me EXTREMELY nervous right now."

Shepard growled, but said nothing. Liara narrowed her eyes and began preparing her biotics. Karasuba, however, inadvertently giggled in response to the rogue Spectre's harsh words.

"What the hell's so damn funny?!" Vasir asked, trying to determine if the woman was somehow mocking her.

Kara, her hand over her mouth, just shook her head. Another girlish laugh escaped from between her fingers. Both Liara and Alex just stared uncertainly at the red-eyed Sekirei for a moment.

Liara, shaking her head at Karasuba's odd reaction, turned back to Vasir and spoke in Shepard's stead. "I am going to end you, Vasir."

Finally getting control over her inexplicable mirth, Karasuba shifted into a relaxed ready stance. Vasir, cocked her pistol. "I said don't move. Don't make me redecorate the restaurant's beautiful facade with this woman's brains!"

"Karasuba. Stay put."

"Yeah, Karasuba. Listen to your master. He's a big hero." Vasir turned her attention to her hostage. "Hey, Lady? You got any kids?"

The unknown human female nodded, hot tears streamed down her face. "I have a son... A little boy..." Fresh sobs wracked her petite frame. Vasir raised an eye-ridge as she turned her attention back to Shepard and his squad. "I recommend you drop your weapons, Shepard. You wouldn't want this woman's death on your conscious, now would you? I'm told losing a parent can be just horrific for children." Vasir pressed the barrel even further into the side of her hostage's head. "You, you sword-wielding maniac, drop that blade right now. You may be faster than bullets shot at YOU, but I can practically guarantee you can't outrun a point-blank round to this woman's face!"

Shepard looked to Liara for a moment, looked behind Vasir, then slowly placed his assault rifle on the floor. "Kara, put your sword down."

Kara just stared at him like he'd grown an additional head on his shoulders. "Alex, I can have this Asari sliced up like fresh Ahi tuna before that woman's body even hits the ground." She slowly shifted to the rogue Spectre's right.

Shepard scowled at Kara. "What have I told you about collateral damage, Kara?"

Kara frowned, and continued to slowly edge to Vasir's right. Vasir, obviously worried about Karasuba and her demonic weapon, followed Kara with her eyes. "Okay, you red-eyed bitch, that's enough stalling. If you don't drop that fucking sword, right now! I swear I'm gonna repaint this patio brain matter gray!"

Shepard narrowed his eyes. "Kara! Do as Vasir says, now." Kara scowled at her Ashikabi, but slowly began to comply with his order. She bent down to place Cold Nights gently on the ground. Vasir's eyes shined victoriously as she watched the ashen-haired woman obeying Shepard's order.

_Heroes. They're always so damned predictable..._ She shifted her gun away from her hostage's head and swung it quickly in Karasuba's direction. She couldn't remember the last time she wanted to kill someone as much as she wanted to kill this long-haired bitch that had shown up out of nowhere to royally screw up her life. "Time to die, bi..."

"Liara, now!" Liara let loose with a biotic pull that smashed a large circular table into Vasir's unprotected back. The shock of the table's impact rocked her and her hostage violently forward. The momentary stumble was enough that she lost her hold on her captive and misfired her pistol into the ground next to Kara's right foot.

Kara, not waiting for instructions, retrieved Cold Nights from the ground and surged forward. She sliced at Vasir's abdomen just as the Spectre desperately flash-retreated away from the squad. Kara flicked her blade and smiled viciously up at Vasir as fresh Asari blood splattered the ground.

"You cunt! I'm gonna make you pay! Dearly!" Vasir screamed at Kara from the overhanging roof then flash-charged away a fraction of a second before Karasuba could reach her. Shepard retrieved his assault rifle from the ground and found cover. Liara slipped beside him; both of them waiting for an opportunity do some damage of their own.

Karasuba was loath to admit it, but she was impressed. _...Slightly impressed..._ This was the first time since her final battle with Musubi that anyone had displayed the ability to match her move for move.

Vasir was loath to admit it, but she was struggling mightily to maintain any kind of distance between her and the super-humanly agile psychopath. _Goddess be damned! This bitch is fast!_ She thought between flash-charges. The only thing keeping her alive and whole was a nearly continuous stream of biotic power combined with liberal and indiscriminate doses of shotgun and machine-pistol rounds that together BARELY kept Karasuba out of sword-striking distance.

After each blast from her room sweeper, Vasir immediately turned tail and flash-charged in an almost arbitrary direction. Shepard and Liara did their level best to hamper Vasir's efforts at dodging Kara's sword, but the two were having little success hitting the rapidly bouncing Spectre.

Then more reinforcements arrived. Eclipse mercs began offloading from aerial transports by the dozen. It was the Azure hotel rooftop battle all over again. Kara's lethal attention was once again diverted between multiple targets. Targets that Vasir had no qualms against using as living shields against Kara and her sword. Vasir weaved around the Shadow Broker agents and fired indiscriminately as Karasuba hacked her way through the mercenaries like overgrown weeds. Shepard and Liara did their parts as they peppered the cannon fodder with assault rifle fire and biotic warps, singularities and throws.

Karasuba continued dodging and weaving through the hostile traffic and gunfire. Much to Shepard's relief, the mercenaries seemed to be having a difficult time mounting any kind of a coordinated attack. Kara grabbed the nearest agent with her left hand, and shoved him in front of Vasir's machine pistol just as the Spectre fired another burst. Three accelerator rounds hit the hapless merc squarely in the chest.

She tossed the dead agent's body in the way of another agent, and rushed past them. She sliced a third agent across the abdomen as she passed him. The enemy Salarian's entrails spilled out from the deep cut bisecting his belly. Alien blood splattered her face as she raced forward. She showed no regard for the dying merc, her attention still focused on the rogue Spectre. Vasir blinked momentarily taken aback at the sheer ferocity Kara was displaying.

Karasuba paused for a second as she noticed something of particular interest on the ground in front of her. The plas-crete was stained with several large splatters of fresh Asari blood. Her incision into Vasir's midsection had to be taking its toll. With renewed vigor, she accelerated through a very unlucky merc engineer that she literally split down the center. His two vertical halves fell to either side as she pushed through the dead agent to continue her pursuit of Vasir.

Vasir flash-retreated once more to the over-hanging roof. "You are one goddess-damned difficult person to kill! You know that?"

Kara smirked. "Yes, I've been told that once or twice. You know, if you'd stop running away from me, and letting this pathetic assortment of incompetents do your work for you... No, that actually wouldn't save you either." She shrugged.

"You know this doesn't have to end with you dying. I could make it worth your while to join me. Think about it for a minute. You and me together could do wonders for this galaxy. All I ask is that you take out those two idiots hanging onto you like so much dead weight."

Kara considered the prospect for a moment as she eyed her two companions. Alex narrowed his eyes, but said nothing. Liara only stared back, fear and uncertainty shining in her brilliant blue eyes. "No thanks. I think I'd prefer these two idiots to your company any day. I do, however, have a counter-proposal. You give the data disk to my associate," Kara eyed Liara significantly for a second then turned back to her conversation. "And I let you walk out of here... with a severe limp."

Vasir growled her disagreement. "You arrogant bitch. How about I just wipe that grin off your face? Or better yet, why don't I just rip your whole smug-ass face off your fucking skull?!"

Kara's smirk only widened at Vasir's threat. "Hmm. I guess now I'll HAVE to kill you... Liara!"

Liara immediately fired off a warp toward the Asari Spectre. Vasir, recognizing the obvious signs of a biotic attack, flash-charged away from both Kara and her two squad-mates. However, Karasuba was expecting nothing less. She had, before the dialogue began, positioned herself to give Vasir a minimal number of safe zones to which she could charge. As she watched the biotic signal of a flash-charge begin, Kara shifted her body and began racing toward the zone furthest from either her or Liara and Alex. The zone most likely for Vasir to choose if she was angry and desperate.

Vasir flashed to the safest spot she could, just as Kara had predicted. Liara, deducing Kara's plan, launched a singularity and closed the trap. Karasuba, not wasting even a single instant to dodge, accelerated through a short-ranged shotgun blast. Her kinetic shield shattered, and the weapon's scatter-shot tore holes in her clothing as well as a bite-sized piece of flesh out of her left side. She ignored the injury and swept Cold Nights' blade through a low arc just as Vasir desperately flash-charged away from her.

The Spectre screamed incoherently as her body tumbled uncontrollably into the large plas-crete wall surrounding one side of the rooftop garden. She was missing the lower half of both legs. Cold Nights had cleanly amputated both of her calves just above the knees. Kara raced over to where Vasir had fallen and, with a quick down-stroke, removed the Spectre's weapon and half the arm holding it. She took only a moment to admire her own handiwork then swung again aiming to remove the Spectre's head.

"Kara, that's enough!"

Kara halted the blade just as it caressed Vasir's throat, and turned to regard Shepard with wide eyes. "Why the hell did you stop me?"

"You've done enough. She needs to be taken into custody. She has stand trial for her crimes against the Council."

"You bitch..." Vasir's hatred was palpable. Vasir was pulled out of the rest of her comment when Liara grabbed her and turned her around.

"Where's the data disk?" Liara asked as stared into Vasir's eyes. "By the Goddess, I will find it. One way or another."

"Go to hell, pure-blood... And take that ugly bitch with you." Vasir sneered at Karasuba, who only smiled at the heavily injured Spectre in response.

Kara smirked, "Why don't you go on ahead, and warn them. I'm sure I'll get there... Eventually" She made to stab Vasir in the stomach, but Alex caught her hand before she could finish the strike.

"I said that's enough." He turned his attention to his former lover, "Liara, did you find the data?"

"Not yet... Wait, spoke too soon." She palmed the data disk and turned around to smile up at Alex. It was the opening that Vasir was waiting for. She lurched forward suddenly, her left hand striking outward like the head of a cobra, aiming for Liara's slender, graceful, and unprotected throat. Karasuba, was a step faster and Vasir's striking arm was removed just below the shoulder. Liara, shocked at the near instantaneous reaction from the Black Sekirei, stared at her for a long moment than nodded in gratitude. Kara, coughed and looked away.

Alex pulled Liara away from the Spectre's immediate vicinity and shielded her with his body, not noticing the momentary flash of envy as it passed across Karasuba's face. "Damnit, Vasir! Don't make me do this! You're a Spectre. You've sworn an oath to uphold the law, not subvert it at the Shadow Broker's pleasure!"

"Don't you get all high and mighty with me... you Cerberus lap dog... You're running... with one of the most hated terrorist organizations... in the galaxy... And using psychos like this unholy bitch... to do your dirty work! You have... exactly no room... on that soapbox... you're standing on... to preach to me... about subverting the law!" Vasir was using her own righteous indignation to bolster her failing strength.

"I'm not running with Cerberus, I'm just using their resources to help the galaxy fight a bigger threat."

"You sound so damn self-righteous... I think you actually believe... you can somehow... spare yourself... from Cerberus's... corrupting influence! And what exactly... do you think I was trying to do? ...The Shadow Broker ...has given me ...damn good intel over the years... Damn good... So if he says a couple people need to disappear... then that's a trade I'm willing to..."

Karasuba had heard more than enough. She cared very little for either the dying Spectre or this Shadow Broker she had been working for, but her nerves were fraying more and more with each passing syllable. One quick swing of her blade, and Vasir ranted no more. The rogue Spectre's head rolled a few feet away from the group and came to a stop on its right ear. Turning to the disembodied head, Karasuba smirked at it and said, "I thought you'd never shut up."

"Kara! What the hell did you do that for?!"

"I thought it was pretty obvious. She wouldn't just shut up and die." Kara shrugged nonchalantly.

Alex shook his head. "She could have been saved... She needed to stand trial."

"Then look at it this way. She was tried, found guilty, and executed. All at same time."

"Kara. It's not your place..."

"No, she's right." Liara interrupted, "Alex, as a Spectre, it's within your purview to exact justice as you deem necessary. Vasir would have been a flight risk, and, as she has shown, has very powerful friends that could have made even getting her to trial very problematic."

"Yeah, what she said." Karasuba added with a smirk, her eyes glinting viciously. Liara only shook her head, and Alex scowled. "Besides, it was a mercy killing... I put her out of our misery." Liara snickered for a moment before she regained control of her laughter.

"Kara, you're not at all funny. And Liara, stop encouraging her." He sighed and nodded back to the where they left the taxi. "At least we got what we were looking for. I think it's time to go." The trio began walking back to the sky-car.

"Kara..." Karasuba gave Liara a single raised eyebrow. "Thank you for your assistance back there. If you hadn't intervened, Vasir might have killed me... I was wondering, what did Vasir say that you found so funny? And how, exactly, did you end up working with Shepard?"

Kara paused contemplating how much truth she wished to dole out at this juncture. "The first question is easy. Vasir called me a dog, and I was struck with the idea that, no matter where I am in this galaxy, I'm destined to be known as someone's dog. As for the second question, he found me on a derelict spacecraft, and awoke me. You COULD say we have a special relationship."

"What do you mean, awoke you?"

Kara, stopped and turned to the slightly shorter female. "I was asleep. He found my ship. He woke me up." She stared at the shorter alien with an annoyed look. "Any other indecipherable mysteries you'd like me to solve for you? Perhaps how I'm able to tie my own bootlaces? Or my innate ability to walk and chew gum at the same time?"

"Kara, there's that despicable attitude again. She asked you a valid question. You were being intentionally vague, and you know it." Alex stared her down once more.

"It's fine, Shepard. She has a right to her secrets. But I will find out what I need to know. You are a member of the Normandy's crew. Shepard's a very important person in this galaxy. If you are somehow a threat to him, I will find out, and I will neutralize that threat. Am I clear?"

Kara fingered Cold Night's hilt and nodded, a wide smile spread across her face. "I would so dearly love to see you try..." She closed her eyes. "Believe me when I say, I've heard similar threats from people much stronger than you. And I'm still breathing..." Kara held up two fingers in a peace sign next to her face. The two extended fingers framed the side of her open right eye. The girlishly winking expression would have been adorably cute if it hadn't been ruined by the slightly maniacal grin that stretched her lips into a thin rictus.

Taken aback by Kara's expression and response, she asked, "What are you talking about? Have you had run-ins with people like the Shadow Broker before joining the Normandy?"

Kara smirked, "Compared to HER, the Shadow Broker amounts to little more than an origami tiger."

Liara turned to Alex, "Who is she talking about, Shepard?"

"...It's not important, right now. But assuming I know who she's talking about, and I think I do. She's probably right."

"...I see..."

The trio continued back to the sky-car in relative silence, and within the hour, were back at Eternity where they found Garrus sipping some Turian brandy and discussing Galactic politics with the resident Matriarch and bar owner, Aethyta.

"...I'm not saying that the Council has a collective stick up their ass when it comes to acknowledging any real threats to the galaxy." The flange in voice radiated sarcasm. "It's just that when someone is forced to stand ram-rod straight 24 hours a day like they do. It gets a little hard to cover your rear... Ah, Shepard. About time. I was actually starting to worry."

"Were you now?" Shepard said, a tone of disbelief in voice.

"Yep. I was even thinking about organizing a search party."

You were?"

"Well, a party of some kind, at any rate..." The turian sniper turned to regard Kara's current state of dress. "Karasuba. You look as bloody as ever... You didn't happen to decapitate anybody I know, did you?

Karasuba paused a moment to ponder his sarcastic query. "Hmm, perhaps. I decapitated a lot of people, today. The laws of probability alone dictate I killed at least one or, maybe even two, people you know."

"Well, those same laws also dictate that I probably didn't like them anyway."

"Alright, you two. As hilarious as this sarcastic banter isn't, I think I'm ready to head back to the Normandy now."

"Jealous, Shepard? I told you the ladies dig scars."

"No, we don't." Liara and Karasuba said in unison...

* * *

><p>AN: Sorry about the very, very, very long wait for this chapter. I don't have any excuse except to say that If I hadn't accepted my beta's advice and chopped my original draft in half... you'd still be waiting.<p>

So LotSB will require one more chapter, than it's on to other exciting plot arcs (more loyalty missions). This particular arc has been a bear to write, and I hope I'm doing the DLC some smidgen of justice. Chapter 7 marks the half-way point in this story. I am planning on ending it with the Arrival DLC, and I believe 7 more chapters should get us there. I hope to have chapter 7 done by next week.

For fans of Thane and Jack, they will get some quality time with Kara quite soon (probably chapters 8 & 9). Thane in particular should be an interesting counter-point to Kara's flashy style. And Jack has a bone or two to pick with our favorite blood-thirsty alien (no, not that blood-thirsty Alien).

Piper out.


	7. A Crow Deals with a Broker

The Lion & The Crow

Chapter 7: A Crow Deals with a Broker

The Shadow Broker's ship was just ahead...

The shuttle was flying in low, doing its best to remain undetected in the large craft's thermal wake. It skimmed the top of an enormous thundercloud as it flew alongside the larger vessel. Nearly continuous flashes of heat lightning was making even this simple maneuver very dangerous. As the shuttle flew above it, Shepard noticed a flat section of the ship's outer hull and directed the pilot to drop the squad there. They would have to traverse a large portion of the ship's outer surface, but he was fairly confident the plan was doable.

He nodded to the rest of his team. "This is our stop." Both Liara and Karasuba nodded in recognition.

Alex recognized the obvious nonverbal signs of irritation in Kara's demeanor. She paced the small crew compartment like a wildcat paces a metal cage. The source of her discomfort was her newly acquired mag-boots. Even though she understood their necessity, she still looked like she wanted to chuck them out the nearest airlock. The logic centers of her brain knew the forces of the titanic heat storms would sweep her away if she lost contact with the Shadow Broker's ship, but that didn't help assuage her pride, which told her she walked like an alcoholic after a three day binge.

She had, however, accepted the fact that she would have wear better protection than her old D-Squad uniform and had even grudgingly accepted Yeoman Chamber's advice to wear one Miranda's Cerberus body suits. The red-headed yeoman had to promise on pain of death that the uniform had never been worn. Kara then procured the Normandy XO's charcoal uniform, rather than Miranda's trademark white bodysuit. Alex had to admit the skintight outfit accentuated her subtle curves and swells quite nicely.

Liara was the only seated member of the squad. Even she fidgeted a little in her seat. She appeared discomfited by an unusual addition to her wardrobe. Jacob had taken it upon himself to outfit her with twin machine pistols and an eviscerator shotgun. At first, Liara tried to politely decline the larger firearm, but as she thought about the likelihood of close quarters fighting, she recognized that a scatter-gun might come in handy. It didn't, however, mean that she would become instantly accustomed to having the large firearm attached to the small of her back.**  
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The shuttle came to an abrupt and jarring stop as the craft's magnetic clamps anchored it to the hull. The side door opened and a rush of scorching air blasted into the small crew compartment. Alex and Liara stepped out of the shuttle first with Karasuba following behind. Kara's long ponytail whipped around like a bullwhip behind her head. As the trio stepped away from the shuttle and activated their mag-boots, the shuttle disengaged from the ship and within a moment was lost in the thick cloud cover surrounding the ship.

The squad readied their weapons and began their infiltration. Kara took point, and Shepard brought up the rear. The formation was designed to keep Liara safely between two more accomplished combatants. Liara used the surface scans they had obtained while they were in the shuttle to direct them toward their intermediate destination, a portal located about 800 meters toward the fore of the craft.

Kara swore to herself intermittently as the magnetic boots disrupted her normally lithe and agile stride with a jerkiness that she found simply excruciating. As the squad came to the first bend in the path along the top of the Shadow Broker's ship, she threw up her fist to get them to stop and listened intently. She held up all five fingers and her squad-mates nodded. She peered around the bulkhead and saw five androids. Each of them were armed with assault rifles. She paused for only a moment then catapulted herself forward. Shepard and Liara both began firing from behind cover as Karasuba sliced the closest two in half with a single wide swing. She dropped to the hull as rifle fire passed over her head. She rolled onto her back, pulled her predator and fired two shots, each one hitting her next target in the head and chest. Liara and Alex finished off the other two with a warp detonation that blew the remaining mechs off the hull.

"Well, that was too eas..." PING PING PING. Accelerator rounds bounced off the bulkheads as three more mechs popped out a side corridor. Shepard claimed two with his sniper rifle, and Liara claimed the third with a three round burst from her machine pistol. The corridor was clear once more.

Liara spoke up, "Kara. I know you're still fairly new to the Normandy, but there is a standing order that no one is to ever utter that phrase during a mission. Ever." Kara raised an eyebrow and nodded. Shepard shook his head but said nothing.

The three continued forward and met with another cluster of mechs. They made short work of the robotic guards and moved on. A third group consisted of several drones that were proving to be more of a nuisance than their ship-bound counterparts. Like the fight with Vasir, however, the squad was once again slipping into a groove, Shepard focused his attention on the long distance threats while his two female companions dealt with the closer and softer targets.

About halfway to the portal the group found themselves at a set of stairs the led to a corridor to that ran along the starboard side of the ship. Kara eyed the large struts that wrapped around the long walkway at the the bottom of the stairs with thinly-veiled interest. She led the small team forward into the corridor. She then noticed a side corridor that was inset in the side of the ship's hull. She motioned for the other two to enter the side corridor, then used her mag-boots to scale one of the struts. She slipped around the metal rib until she was standing outside the corridor entirely. She half-walked, half-hopped from strut to strut. She stopped for a moment and surveyed the situation. The wind howled around her slender frame as she stood on the metal strut. The gale force winds whipped her long pony-tail behind her like a ashen colored flag. She closed her eyes and absorbed some of the chaos from the perpetual storm.

A moment later assault rifle fire knocked her out of her reverie and she knelt very low, using the metal as a thin shield. Alex and Liara returned fire to keep the armed agents occupied with more than just shooting the alien female off the side of the ship's hull. Kara moved as quickly as she could forward. The hurricane force winds swirling around her offered her an additional measure of protection as the minute accelerator rounds quickly lost any accuracy in the strong crosswinds. She quickly positioned herself above the group of mercs. She curled into herself and rotated around the strut so that she was hanging upside down below the strut. The corridor was the perfect width for Cold Nights to reap yet another bloody harvest. Sparks flew from the wall of the corridor as the tip of Kara's blade cut shallow grooves into the hardened metal. Each slice of the blade removed limbs, opened torsos, and claimed lives. Liara and Alex waited for Kara to finish off the Shadow Broker agents in quick order.

The three continued forward stopping only long enough to deal with cluster upon cluster of Shadow Broker agents. Kara, finally looking more comfortable with her stilted gait, was finding the opposition no more challenging than what she fought on Illium. She also found herself using Liara secondary machine pistol quite often. Liara, who had initially been shocked when she felt Kara's brush against her right side, was secretly happy to see that she could use a more long distance weapon when the situation called for it. Happy, and much less nauseated than she had been on the roof of the Azure.

Shepard found himself, in the enviable position of having two squad mates that needed little verbal guidance as the group slipped from one skirmish to another with only random observations and one liners as the rolling dialogue. Even Karasuba was becoming more verbal. Her disdain for the agents in between them and their ultimate destination, the Shadow Broker more and more apparent with each acidic remark.

"If these ridiculous 'agents' are just going to die anyway, they could just save us the trouble and jump off the side." Kara said after finishing the fifth conflict in a row. She was finding the whole affair incredibly repetitive and boring. She re-sheathed Cold Nights. She switched tactics and began shooting her opponents between the eyes. Shepard smiled to himself as he watched his newest crew member down several mercs with her borrowed machine pistol. She was now, at last, proving herself to be more than just a blood-thirsty maniac with a sword. She could actually shoot people too. He dropped another drone with his sniper rifle, then turned his attention to the lone biotic among them.

His eyes widened slightly at the expression on his former lover's face. Liara, it appeared, was enjoying herself. Quite possibly for the first time since... Maybe since the time they defeated Saren and Sovereign. She was also seemed to be more comfortable around the other alien female. It helped that said female appeared to have put aside her desire to constantly shower her immediate vicinity in bucketfuls of blood, and was now removing threats the 'old fashioned way.'

Liara WAS enjoying herself. Those familiar feelings of being in the middle of a mission with Shepard in command were still comforting. It helped that Karasuba was no longer giving her death glares on a semi-regular basis. The brush of Kara's hand on her hip as she swiped her spare pistol startled her. That less than professional brush, and the not unfriendly smirk that she had received both. From that moment, Liara's gaze periodically strayed from the action to watch as the long-haired female moved and shifted into a variety of interesting positions. The dark outfit reminded Liara of those worn by Asari Commandos. It left very little of Kara's athletic frame to the imagination. Her thoughts drifted momentarily as she pictured what interesting positions Kara might adopt in a more intimate setting...

Kara felt the mental pressure of Liara's gaze on her back. "T'Soni-san...? Not getting an immediate response, she asked more loudly, T'Soni-san?!"

Liara was wrenched from the less than pure thoughts she had been indulging in, and turned her attention to the shouting woman. "What, Kara?"

"Why were you..." Kara quickly realized that Liara's attention may have actually been trained lower than her initial assumption. "Were you staring at my ass?" The question wrenched Shepard from his thoughts as well. His eyes widened at the mention of the young Asari scientist possibly staring at his Sekirei's rear assets.

"No! ...I mean of course not. I was just studying your..." Liara thought fast. "...firing stance, that's all. It just seemed so... efficient." _That's a good word for her. Very... Efficient._

Kara narrowed her eyes, and was about to question just how 'efficient' her stance was when Shepard interrupted. "OK people. We're almost to the door. Let's keep this professional, shall we." Kara turned back to the enemy and Liara let out a breath she didn't notice she was holding.

At last the squad reached the door they had searching for from the beginning of the mission. By the looks of it the portal had a rather intricate holo-lock. "Probably not omni-gel compatible." Shepard said as the three eyed the angry red hexagonal shape of the hologram adoring the front. The iconography was decidedly uninviting.

"Not hardly." Liara answered with a smirk. "That was definitely one security upgrade no one was happy about. I do believe I can hack it though. Let me see... Aw, here it is..." She activated a program on her omni-tool and slapped the palm of her hand into the center of the holo-lock. An orange light passed from her OT into the center of door's hologram. At that moment accelerator rounds began bouncing around the hollow surrounding the outside and all three shields shattered simultaneously. The trio ducked for cover as best they could and returned fire.

Kara could see 5 distinct teams trying to encircle the squad. Images of the Dracon Towers lobby came to her mind. She'd had more room to work in the Towers' lobby than she did here. A lot more. The opposition took turns dropping into and out of cover to keep the pressure on. Her maneuverability was severely hampered by her need to stay close to the surface of the ship. Shepard motioned to one of the enemy teams, and made a slicing motion across his neck. Kara nodded and retrieved her sword. He turned to Liara. "How much longer on that lock?"

"Since this is the first time I've ever tried hacking a lock of this complexity..." She shrugged, "I can only say with confidence that it will require more than five seconds, and less then five millennia."

He stared at the young Asari scientist. "...Nice." Alex fired his sniper rifle and downed a bothersome drone. Liara managed to tie up several agents with a singularity that both Kara, and Alex finished off with MA rounds.

Liara spoke up during a slight break in the oncoming rifle fire. "You know, if the Shadow Broker's men attacked us en masse. They could, theoretically, overwhelm our defenses while we sit here waiting for the door to open."

"Liara, please don't give the enemy any tactical advice. I think they're doing just fine as it..."

Karasuba stared at the door for an instant, then turned to Alex and grabbed him around the neck. Shocked frozen mid-sentence, he was unprepared for the searing tongue-in-kiss she planted on his open mouth. Large, ornate wings of feathered light appeared from her back, stunning both Liara and their opposition into wide-eyed silence. Images of the Goddess flickered briefly through Liara's mind as she stared at the darkly beautiful wings before they disintegrated into motes of light. _Kara, by the goddess, how..._

"I am so done with this shit." Kara's declaration pulled Liara from her thoughts, as she reared back and plunged Cold Nights into the center of the door. The blade sank halfway to the hilt into the metal. "I suggest you both take cover."

Shepard, taking Kara at her word, grabbed Liara and pulled her down into cover. Bright light began pouring from cracks in the door's outer surface.

"Shadow Broker, whoever you are?! I'm coming for your head!" With a snarl, Kara focused her power through the blade of Cold Nights. Excess energy flowed off of her in visible waves as she pumped psychic power directly from her tama into the offending obstacle between her and her new prey. With a massive explosion, the door blew outward in all directions, and the squad was now staring at the open entrance to the Shadow Broker's ship. "Shall we?" Without a backward glance, Karasuba entered the long interior corridor. A moment later Alex and Liara followed behind...

The squad fought slowly and methodically through the interior corridors each performing their tasks with near silence. Alex watched Kara utilize both her sword and pistol. She was definitely showing signs of battlefield fatigue. They no longer had any need for the magnetic boots, but she was only moving slightly faster than when she had her boots activated. _'That fireworks show must have really sapped her strength. She's gotta learn the meaning of restraint.'_

Liara too noted the difference in Kara's demeanor. "Are you feeling well, Kara?"

"Yeah, of course I am." Kara dodged several rounds from an enemy assault rifle, the last of which nicked her shield enough to shatter it. Alex shook his head from his location behind a half-wall. The enemy agents were laying the suppression fire down very heavily. Another boom of his sniper rifle and merc keeled forward, dead before he even hit the ground. "I have a feeling they're planning something. I'm just not sure what." he said as he fired another round, hitting a Shadow Broker agent in his center of mass.

Liara responded. "Perhaps, given the constricting nature of this hallway, they are planning to box us in and catch us in a cross-fire. That is certainly something you would do, Shepard. If the situation was reversed."

"There you go again, Liara. Stop helping them. Please. I'm begging here." Shepard fired three rounds in quick succession and three bodies dropped. Karasuba continued utilizing all the deadly tools in her arsenal. Her peripheral vision spotted them a split second before the trap was sprung. She grabbed her teammates, and pulled them over the half wall just as three rocket troopers popped out of hiding and began liberally spraying RPGs in their general vicinity. "See, I told you they were listening." Liara, wide-eyed, only nodded her agreement. "Kara, is there anything you can do about those rockets?"

She peeked over the wall, and eyed the three troopers. They were grouped together fairly close. "Yeah, I'm gonna flank their unprotected left side, and cut all three of them down at one time." The three troopers collectively shifted to their right, bunching even closer together. Kara dropped back behind cover and rolled to her right. She popped back up holding Shepard's own missile launcher. She fired three rockets in succession. Each missile landed at a rocket trooper's feet. The ensuing blasts decisively finished the threat.

"...I could have done that..."

Kara handed Alex back his missile launcher. "Then why didn't you?," she asked with a smirk, her eyes half-lidded and head tilted to one side.

Liara smiled up at Karasuba for a moment, enjoying the banter once more. _I think I'm starting to see what Alex does..._

The opposition continued in the same vein, but none of the agents seemed able to do much to the squad. At last, they came to an observation room. Inside the smaller room was a drell. A drell familiar to only one person on the team. Liara gasped at the scene. Feron was bound tightly to what she could only surmise was some sort of torture chair. "We have to get him out of there! By the Goddess, what's...?" She tried to open the door leading into the chamber, but only succeeded in giving Feron a dose of electric shock for her effort.

Alex, echoing Liara's frustration, "Damnit! The chair's rigged! Anyone trying to rescue Feron that way is only gonna get him killed!"

Kara studied the glass wall, she paid special attention to the edges. "This entire room appears to be rigged to the console controlling the chair."

Alex nodded. "I agree. We'll need to come up with another way of getting in the room. Kara I know you've told me that sword can cut through anything. Could you use it here?"

Kara, sheathing her sword, responded. "While I believe that I can cut my way into this room. I think we have to assume it's being monitored. The only way we're going to get this alien out of his current predicament is to continue forward."

Liara nodded her agreement. "Confront the Shadow Broker. Shepard, she's right. We need to finish this."

Alex sighed, then nodded. "Then let's get this done, people." He armed himself with his assault rifle and led the two females away from the Feron.

The last corridor proffered minimal resistance. Alex recognized signs of low morale in their opposition. The Shadow Broker's agents were no match for any of them, and the squad dispatched them with relative ease. The team found themselves standing in front of a large door.

"If my calculations are correct we should be close to the center of the ship." Liara said as she consulted her Omni-Tool.

"Then this is almost over." Alex responded.

Kara unsheathed Cold NIghts. "Then why are we still standing here?" Alex shook his head and activated the holo-lock.

The squad stepped into the large circular room at the center of the ship. At the far end, behind an enormous steel door, sat a hulking creature that for the life of Alex, he had no idea what race he or it belonged to. The multitude of eyes watched their every move as the three entered and spaced themselves with easy precision. Shepard and Kara flanking Liara's right and left sides respectively. Karasuba smirked at the sight of the massive brute in front of her. She was still feeling the after-effects of her destruction of the ship's exterior portal, but she'd be damned before she showed it.

The creature began speaking. "Dr. T'Soni, you keep rather interesting company."

Kara widened her eyes slightly at the deep resonant quality that displayed a level of intellect she had not been expecting from such a large brutish looking creature. Her grin widened. _All the better. Cold Nights prefers intelligent food._

"The Spectre known as Jonathon Alexander Shepard, and the one known only as the Remnant." Alex glanced over at Kara for a moment. "Yes, I have already begun a file on your female companion. Shepard, you will fetch quite an exorbitant fee from the Collectors." He turned slightly to regard Karasuba, "and for you as well. As for you doctor, I believe the satisfaction of violently removing you from the Galaxy will suffice."

"You're not laying a finger on anyone..." Liara narrowed her eyes for a moment. She studied the large creature in front of her. All at once the pieces fell into place, and she smirked. "You're a Yahg." The arrogant look on the Shadow Broker's face faltered for only an instant, but it was enough to confirm Liara's suspicions.

"You're from a pre-space flight planet that's been heavily quarantined for massacring the Council's first contact teams. You were probably captured by the previous Shadow Broker, and kept as slave... or a pet. So tell me, how am I doing?" Liara turned to smile confidently at Alex. It was the distraction the Shadow Broker had been waiting for.

With an immense growl of anger, the Yahg wrenched his desk from the floor and hurled it as if it weighed target, the one person in the room he was genuinely concerned about, Karasuba. The immensely heavy steel desk flew at her with surprising force. She, however, had other ideas about this confrontation, and death by flying desk wasn't one of them.

Alex seeing that Liara wasn't going to react in time, reacted for her. He grabbed her and pulled her down under him so that he could shield her with his body. He glanced over at Karasuba in time to see yet another impossible maneuver. Kara, moving on instinct, stepped forward and brought her blade down in a overhand slice. The sword, doing what it had been forged to do so many centuries before, cut the desk in half. Kara then proceeded to duck and roll under the two large pieces that lost zero momentum to the blade's interference. She stood once more and smiled at her enormous adversary.

The Shadow Broker had been prepared for his new trophy to do just what she did, and began firing on the agile alien female as soon as she stood up. As the machine gun fire ricocheted all around her, she quickly abandoned the idea of a frontal assault, and found cover behind a column to her left. Shepard and Liara stood up; rushed to their own cover; and began firing at imposing figure. It didn't take much to hit him, but his shield was taking an ungodly amount of assault rifle and machine pistol fire.

As Shepard's team fought, the Shadow Broker was calculating. He wanted to keep the alien female specimen alive, but as he had seen in the vids of her combat against his agents, she was intelligent, resourceful, and completely ruthless. He kept his attention on her as he devised a strategy of containment. He strode forward hoping to catch the female and subdue her physically.

Karasuba was calculating as well. She peered out from behind the column and watched with a raised brow as the Shadow Broker gave chase. She had little doubt that the creature was probably going as fast as he could, but she could say with some confidence that even her lazy partner, Haihane, could have easily outpaced him. She moved quickly around the room weaving around the columns and benches with precise movements. She stopped momentarily to talk to her companions. "So he's big and slow, but his machine gun is making up for it."

Alex responded, "Well, why don't you just walk on the ceiling, like you did with me?"

Kara smirked as she dashed to another column. "Is my Ashikabi still upset that I beat him?" She shook her head. "I can still move pretty fast compared to this lumbering monstrosity, but I'm not fully recovered from the..."

"Well then I guess if you hadn't have been so impatient earlier, this fight would already be over. Now, wouldn't it?" He grabbed Liara and raced to another bench just as the previous one disappeared in a hail of heavy machine gun rounds.

Liara interrupted, wide-eyed at Alex's statement of Kara's super-human abilities. "Kara can walk on ceilings?!"

Alex shook his head. "I'll explain later..."

Karasuba continued. "Yeah well, hindsight is always twenty..." She was cut off as she ducked under a fist the size of her head. "Excuse you..." She said, swiping at the offending arm with her sword. Hot blood spewed out of a cut in the Broker's forearm, but it seemed to have little effect on the arm's owner.

"At least you've managed to injure our assailant." Liara spoke up.

Alex couldn't help it. "You know Liara, if he were to request assistance from whoever is left of his crew, we'd probably be..."

Liara clamped a hand over Alex's mouth. mirth sparkling in her blue eyes. "Shepard, do be quiet."

Kara dodged another attack and snarled. "If it's not too much trouble, can we stay focused on the 800 kilo gorilla in the room!?"

Alex fired a sniper round that finally shattered the Broker's kinetic shield. "There. You happy now?"

Karasuba turned and smiled viciously. "Much." She wasted no time in turning to her latest victim and swinging her blade in a horizontal arc meant to remove the Yahg's head... Only to have the sword violently ripped from her hands. She stared blankly at her empty hands for a single instant. It was an instant too long. The Shadow Broker backhanded Kara across the face. The force of the blow sent her spinning backward ten meters into one of the support columns. Her body twisted painfully around the unyielding metal structure.

The Shadow Broker removed the sword from where he had managed to trap it in his shoulder. He held it in his left hand as he studied the extremely long blade momentarily. He turned to address his enemies once again. "Now that I have your melee weapon, I believe that your futile resistance is at an... Ah... Aaaahhhh!"

Alex, momentarily stunned at Karasuba's reversal of fortune, was wrenched out his stunned state by the Broker's exclamation of extreme pain.

"Aah! What kind... of weapon... is this?!" The Shadow Broker dropped the sword as he grabbed his head in both hands. "The voices! ... The screaming voices! Make them stop!" Alexa and Liara recoiled at the sight of the Shadow Broker's face contorted in anguish and bleeding from all of his eyes.

Karasuba stood up slowly, the sound of bones popping as did. Blood seeped from a gash in her forehead and trickled down one side of her face. She walked toward the Shadow Broker, and used the slow forward movement to buy herself some healing time. She watched with no small amount hatred as he writhed in agony. "To answer your question." She said as she stepped around him to find Cold Nights. "It's so much more than just a 'melee weapon,' and I believe it has deemed you... unworthy."

"...Once I have defeated... I will destroy that... thing..." The shadow Broker dropped to one knee. The relentless assault on his sanity was causing a tremendous degree of difficulty in his ability to complete his own thoughts. The mental intrusions cut through his mind like a rusty hacksaw. He stood slowly and turned his attention to Karasuba, who had bent down to retrieve her sword. "I...I will..."

"Die... Yes, I'd have to agree with you." Karasuba plunged the blade of Cold Nights into the Yahg's chest, twisting the point as it bisected his heart. She wrenched the blade downward and meters of entrails spilled out onto the floor. She stepped back and watched as the Shadow Broker, now on both knees, tried desperately to reinsert his bowels back in his stomach.

"Kara! Finish it." Shepard had seen enough. He was not given to prolonging the suffering of others, even that of his enemies. Karasuba nodded and with a quick slicing motion slit the Shadow Broker's throat from ear to ear. The Shadow Broker fell to the floor clutching his neck as his life poured out around his thick fingers...

Liara stared at the dying figure of the Shadow Broker, then turned to Alex. "It's done, Shepard."

"It is. How do you feel?"

"I'm not sure..." Loud disparate voices interrupted their conversation. They both looked to a large bank of monitors that were, one-by-one, turning red. They moved to investigate.

As Kara verified that the Shadow Broker was indeed dead. Liara and Alex found themselves in front of a large panel of vid monitors. Liara, her voice disguised as that of the Shadow Broker, was relaying demands to his extensive network of spies across the galaxy. Shepard waited for her to finish and then simply asked, "Is this what you want?"

Liara nodded. "I can use this, Shepard. I can make the 'Shadow Broker' work for the good of the galaxy for a change. And I can help you. Give you decent intel. Help you with your fight against the Collectors."

Shepard nodded in turn. "About us..."

"Shepard, I know there is something going on between you and..." They both looked at Karasuba. "Something I don't quite understand."

He nodded. "She tells me I'm her destined one... Whatever that means."

Liara, still looking at Karasuba, nodded. "It's been two years. I understand if..."

"Two years for you. About a month and a half for me... I..."

Liara placed two fingers over his lips. "Don't say anything more... I believe that if we were to have any kind of a relationship, it will take some time for me to reconcile the fact that you and Karasuba are a 'package deal,' as Joker might put it"

Alex nodded hesitantly. "Yeah, she and I really are. 'A two-fer' as my snarky pilot would say."

Liara smiled at the small joke. She looked back at Kara, whose attention had been turned to them. Karasuba stepped over to stand by Shepard.

"Hey," Alex said, "Do you wanna maybe take a tour of the new Normandy. She's a beautiful ship."

"Maybe some other time, Alex. I think Feron and I" Liara watched, over Kara's shoulder, the slim drell enter the room, "have a lot of work to do." Feron nodded uncertainly.

"OK. Don't be a stranger." Liara smiled and nodded, as Kara and Alex turned and left the ship's command room. "Normandy, our mission was a success. We're heading your way. Please have the shuttle standing by to pick us up."

AYE, AYE, COMMANDER... UMM, COMMANDER?

"Yes, Joker, what is it?"

YOU WOULDN'T HAPPEN TO KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE... KARASUBA DECAPITATED TODAY, WOULD YOU?

"Why the hell would you wanna know..."

"11" Kara said. Alex stared at her.

DAMN. ARE YOU SURE? YOU DIDN'T POSSIBLY MISCOUNT, DID YOU?

"Joker, what's going... Please tell me Massani did not set up a betting pool on the number of decapitated heads in this mission?"

WHAT! NO, OF COURSE NOT! ... ...IT WAS GARRUS THIS TIME...

* * *

><p>OMAKE #1: Karasuba, freshly showered and dressed only in a towel, watched as one Liara T'Soni entered Shepard's loft, after her more extensive tour of the ship. She watched the shorter Asari woman step up close to her. "Where's Alex?" Kara asked as Liara stared her in the eyes.<p>

"I left him discussing something boring with his XO, Lawson, down in the CIC. EDI pointed me in your direction and I quietly made my exit to come speak with you."

"Really, and what is it that you wanted to say?"

"I wanted to..." Liara licked her lips and motioned to Karasuba's towel. "I'm sorry, your state of dress is very distracting."

"Is it now?" Kara responded, her lips stretching into a predatory grin. "And what is it, exactly, that you want me to do about it?"

"I suppose..." Liara tugged on the bottom hem of the towel and it fell away from Kara's slender athletic frame. "That's better. Now where was I?"

Kara smirked, unashamed of her own nudity. "You came up here to tell me something."

"Ah, yes, that's right... Hmm, perhaps I should phrase what I want to say in an old Earth colloquialism."

Kara raised an eyebrow and crossed her arms under her pert breasts. "Please do. These pins and needles you have me waiting on, are being to irritate."

"OK... Karasuba, I want to fuck you. Right here. Right now. I want to spread you on that bed and feast on every part of you that I can get my fingers, lips, and tongue onto and/or into. And I want you to fuck me right back."

Kara, her ruby eyes wide at Liara's wanton confession. "Oh, really? And what gives you the impression that I would want anything like that from you?"

"I... I see how Alex ignores you. He can't ever seem to see past his mission. It took him weeks to finally take the hint and plow my tight blue ass into the bed when I was a member of the original Normandy crew. And you should have an outlet for all that aggression you're undoubtedly feeling... I definitely want to be that outlet... So what's your answer? Are you...EEP!" Karasuba shut her up by pushing her backward onto the bed. The 'aggressive' Sekirei reached down as Liara stared wide-eyed up at her and with a single strong tug, ripped the Asari gown right off.

She gazed at Liara's naked form for a moment before she grabbed and spread her thighs wide apart. Liara's azure glistened wetly in the artificial lighting. "Let's get 'down' to business then, shall we?..."

Karasuba lurched forward, blankets falling from her naked upper torso as she sat up in the bed that she shared with Alex. Sweat glistened on her forehead. _Ugh! What a horrible dream!_ She shook her head to clear her mind and got up from the bed. As she padded quietly to the loft's refresher, she looked back at Alex's prone body, and shook her head. _Damnit._ _I really need to get laid!..._

* * *

><p>AN:<p>

So this finally brings LotSB to a close. I was going to write the scene in Shepard's loft but then I decided that I'm gonna hold that scene for a little while, but don't worry I'm not done with Liara just yet. :)

OK, so next chapter will be a while, but the chapter itself shouldn't take that long to write. (Famous last words).

To everyone who took the time to review, thank you very much. I enjoyed them immensely. I hope, now that this chapter is out there, I'll get some more reviews of my (guite possibly inept) treatment of one of my favorite ME DLC's.

TL&TC Roadmap: Jack's LM, Thane's LM, Garrus's LM, Derelict Reaper, Legion's LM, Another visit to Omega, Collector Base, Arrival...

Missions completed 'off-screen'or pre-story start: Miranda's LM, Zaeed's LM,

Undecided missions: Tali's LM (probably N/A at this point), Grunt's LM, Kasumi's LM.

Let me know in a review or PM if you want me to have Karasuba in on Grunt's or Kasumi's missions or no.

Again, thank you for lending me your valuable time.

Piper out.


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